17 Oct 2023 — We condemn the speech of Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, to the Tory Party Conference on 3^rd October.  

She talked about a “hurricane” of immigration and said the Human Rights Act should be called the “Criminal Rights Act”. In her speech to the American Enterprise Institute on September 26, Ms Braverman repeatedly alluded to the “Replacement Theory” deployed by neo-Nazis and without providing any evidence, said that “British Culture” is threatened by immigration.  

This is the kind of language used by the far-right Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. It has not been heard from a mainstream politician in this country since Enoch Powell’s “Rivers of Blood” speech in 1968. He was sacked from the Tory cabinet by Ted Heath, the then Prime Minister. 

Tower Hamlets is one of the most culturally diverse boroughs in the UK. Migrants have built our NHS and other public services we all depend on. 

We do not have a big problem with integration or community cohesion, as Ms Braverman suggests. We do have a big problem with poverty and inequality. These are the issues we expect the Home Secretary to address.  

Our borough also has a proud history of challenging the far-right and others who seek to divide us – from the Blackshirts in Cable Street to the BNP in Brick Lane and more recently, the EDL and Football Lads Alliance. We will not allow our community to be threatened and undermined in this way.  

Suella Braverman’s language is dangerous. We have already seen the consequences with fascist groups like the Patriotic Alternative targeting asylum seekers in different parts of the country.

Signed:

• Sheila McGregor – Tower Hamlets Stand Up to Racism
• Dr Glyn Robbins – United East End
• Dr Abdullah Faliq – East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre
• Michael Rosen – Former Children’s Laureate
• Leon Silver President – East London Central Synagogue
• Kerie Anne Branch Sec – Tower Hamlets UNISON
• Rt Revd Dr Joanne Grenfell – Bishop of Stepney
• Shaykh Shamsul Haque Chairman – T.H. Council of Mosques
• Abokor Ahmed – Al-Huda Cultural Centre & Mosque
• Sister Christine Frost – Neighbours in Poplar and SPLASH 
• Cllr. Sirajul Islam Leader – T.H. Labour Group
• Cllr. Nathalie Bienfait – Green Party, Bow West
• John Peers – Unite the Union, East London Fdn. Trust, NHS
• Cllr. Amina Ali – Deputy Leader, T.H. Labour Group
• Lord Michael – Cashman of Limehouse
• Weyman Bennett – Co-Convenor, Stand Up to Racism
• Sahir Saeed – Acting Branch Sec. CWU, East London Postal Branch
• Amy Fletcher – President, T.H. and City National Education Union
• Louise Raw – Historian and Author
• Tharik Hussain – Author and Journalist
• David Rosenburg – Author, “Battle for the East End”
• Rae Garvin – Tower Hamlets & City National Educ. Union
• Dr Kambiz Boomla – Tower Hamlets Trades Council
• Paul McGarr – Vice President, T.H. & City National Educ. Union
• Sybil Cock – Newham and Tower Hamlets PSC
• Oli Rahman – Chair, PCS Union (PC), East London Branch
• Richard McEwan – UCU Tower Hamlets College, Poplar
• Dr Anna Livingstone – Retd GP T.H. BMA; Barts Health Unite
• Mahfuz Nahid –  Muslim Voices
• Guy Shennan – Social Workers Union
• Sufia Alam – Maryam Centre; Chair, TH Interfaith Forum  
• Jackie Applebee – Chair, Tower Hamlets BMA
• Karen Dabrowska – Secretary, Abrar Islamic Foundation
• Eileen Short – Chair, Defend Council Housing
• Rafique Ullah – Altab Ali Trust
• Shaykh Abu Sayeed – President, Da’watul Islam
• Mark Ereira-Guyer –  European Network on Religion & Belief
  Mohammad Jahedi Chair – London Iqra Institute
• Revd Christine Hall – Church of England Priest
• Imam Ajmal Masroor – Broadcaster & Relationship Counsellor
• Richard Ferrier – Hackney T.H. Extinction Rebellion
• Imam Fadel Soliman – Director, Bridges Foundation
• Alan Murray – All Faiths and None
• Shaykh Ahmed – Arshe Ashaadibi Education & Cultural Centre
• Aroz Miah –  CEO, Sporting Foundation
• Joy Stanton – Tower Hamlets Stand Up To Racism
• Mohamed Mire – Care Solutions Bureau
• Cate Tuitt – Tower Hamlets Stand Up To Racism