Top Tory Axed Over Army Race Row

[Jeevan]

BBC NEWS

Top Tory axed over Army race row

A Tory MP has been forced to quit his frontbench role after making comments on race in the Army which party leader David Cameron called "unacceptable".

Shadow homeland security spokesman Patrick Mercer said he had met "a lot" of "idle and useless" ethnic minority soldiers who used racism as a "cover".

The former officer also told the Times that being called a "black <admin-profanity filter activated>" was a normal part of Army life.

But Mr Mercer later said he "deeply" regretted any "offence" he had caused.

'Way it is'

Of the English-born black men he knew in the Army, he told the Times: "They prospered inside my regiment, but if you'd said to them: 'Have you ever been called a nigger,' they would have said: 'Yes.'

"But equally, a chap with red hair, for example, would also get a hard time - a far harder time than a black man, in fact."

What I have said is clearly misjudged and I can only apologise if I have embarrassed in any way those fine men whom I commanded

Patrick Mercer

Conservative MP

Mr Mercer, MP for Newark, added: "But that's the way it is in the Army. If someone is slow on the assault course, you'd get people shouting: 'Come on you fat <admin-profanity filter activated>, come on you ginger <admin-profanity filter activated>, come on you black <admin-profanity filter activated>.'"

He also said: "I came across a lot of ethnic minority soldiers who were idle and useless, but who used racism as cover for their misdemeanours.

"I remember one guy from St Ann's (Nottingham) who was constantly absent and who had a lot of girlfriends.

"When he came back one day I asked him why, and he would say: 'I was racially abused.' And we'd say: 'No you weren't, you were off with your girlfriends again.'"

After the comments were published, Mr Mercer was asked by his party to resign his frontbench position and did so.

'Not tolerated'

Mr Cameron said: "The comments made by Patrick Mercer are completely unacceptable and I regret that they were made.

"We should not tolerate racism in the Army or in any walk of life. Patrick Mercer is no longer a shadow minister."

He also said: "I was completely shocked when I read the remarks of Patrick Mercer."

He added that "racism is disgusting and has no part in any part of our society".

Labour MP Sadiq Khan said: "I find these comments shocking and most members of the public will find them outrageous."

But Leroy Hutchinson, a black former corporal who served with Mr Mercer for 12 years, said: "He never tolerated racism in the battalion and not a single one of his men would consider him to be racist."

Mr Hutchinson told the BBC: "In the forces... name-calling - whether you be black, white, ginger, red, brown - it is part of the establishment."

He added: "It's not meant and it doesn't come across from an individual as a racist comment. It's just part of the culture.

"When you wear that uniform, it is what goes on and it's been happening for a long, long time."

'Privilege'

In a statement, Mr Mercer said: "The offence I have obviously caused is deeply regretted.

"I had the privilege to command soldiers from across the East Midlands of whom many came from racial minorities.

"It was a matter of great pride to me that racial minorities prospered inside the unit, and, indeed at one stage all of my company sergeant majors were black.

"What I have said is clearly misjudged and I can only apologise if I have embarrassed in any way those fine men whom I commanded.

"I have no hesitation in resigning my frontbench appointment."

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk_p...ics/6431005.stm

Published: 2007/03/08 17:35:16 GMT

© BBC MMVII

[Premi5]

http://timesofindia....w/33552759.cms? UK open to Sikh as head of armed forces, judiciary: David Cameron

Kounteya Sinha,TNN | Apr 10, 2014, 02.21 PM IST

LONDON: British Prime Minister David Cameron has for the first time said that UK is open to having a Sikh as the head of its armed forces or as a chief justice in its judiciary.

Hosting a Baisakhi celebration at 10 Downing Street, Cameron heaped high praise on "the hard working" Sikh community in UK and invited more from the community to enter British parliament.

Referring to the "hard work so many Sikhs now do in our parliament," Cameron said "Not enough - I'm proud that we have in Paul Uppal a British Sikh on Conservative benches, Paul is here working hard, but we shouldn't rest until we see more British Sikhs on green benches and red benches, until we see more British Sikhs at the top of every one of our organisations - whether that is our army, or our judiciary - not because we should believe in tokenism, but because we believe, I believe, that we won't access the talent of our country unless we demonstrate that everyone from every background and faith can get to the top of any organization that they choose and that is so important for our country".

According to Cameron, British Sikhs "have been an absolute model in terms of integrating into our communities and playing a role in our communities; whether it is in our armed forces, whether it is serving in government, whether it is working in business, whether it is representing us brilliantly on the cricket field, there's hardly an area of natural life where British Sikhs haven't made a huge impact".

Cameron hosting the fourth Baisakhi party in 10 Downing Street also recalled the recent floods that devastated parts of UK.
He said "We had people from across the country who had shown extraordinary public service in the floods earlier this year, and we had then Sikhs who had gone out of their way to travel across our country and help people, whether they were in Somerset, whether they were in the Thames Valley, whether they were in East Anglia, who needed help. "Serving the community, putting back into the community is something deep in the heart of all British Sikhs," he said.

The Sikh vote bank will be a major factor in the next general election in UK in 2015.

Britain's 2011 census says UK is home to nearly 4.3 lakh Sikhs of which 4.2 lakh live in England alone. The community is also very politically active.

Around 3 in 4 Sikhs have voted in different elections in the last 4 years. Around 2 in 3 voted in the 2010 general elections.

[DiscoverSikhism]

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Someone should tell David Cameron that Paul Uppal is not a Sikh...