More government dhimmitude in the UK. “Ministers dithered on Islamist crackdown,” from the TimesOnline, with thanks to Sr. Soph:
GOVERNMENT policies failed to tackle Muslim extremism despite internal warnings that a “tougher political response” was required after the September 11 attacks, according to a former Foreign Office minister.
Denis MacShane, who was in the post until May, has described how his attempts to push for a more hardline approach were rebuffed because of concerns that Muslims would be offended. Only after the recent London attacks have ministers, Muslim groups and officials “engaged in a higher gear”.
“There wasn’t that sense of grip, of pulling together of departments,” said MacShane, who was directly involved in Britain’s policy response to the September 11 attacks. “Whitehall only moves if it is told in no uncertain terms, principally by the PM, “˜This is my priority, it is your priority”. You need very strong engagement by Downing Street.”
He added: “My generation of Labour MPs don’t want to indulge in anything that smacks of Muslim typecasting or hostility. And as we tried very hard not to be like Norman Tebbit or the more ugly tabloids, it’s fair to say we failed to work out an adequate political response to Islamist politics in the UK.”