Three wishes

Bradford United.

“It’s not extremism, it’s meeting their needs”, pleaded Councillor Faisal Khan on the Today programme as he and lovable antisemite David Ward MP (Lib Dem) were being gently probed by John Humphrys this morning. 

The two Islamophiles appeared to be in broad agreement, throwing cold water over the producer’s evident wish that they cross swords over the Trojan Horse issue. After all, David Ward had been deposed as a governor of one school, while Faisal Khan was responsible for disposing of head-teachers at others.  

“Staff at both schools said Mr Khan had led both sets of governors in “constant attacks” on their headteachers to drive them out and had succeeded at Carlton Bolling, where two successful non-Muslim headteachers have quit.”

You’d have expected feathers to fly. But nothing. Bradford mustn’t be tarred with the same brush as Birmingham, they opined in unison. We’re uncomfortable with the term ‘Muslim extremists’’. 

“Do you have any concerns about the extent to which some people want to make schools more faith based?” ventured Humph.

“These are secular schools” said David Ward.

“Schools are not secular, there’s no such thing as a secular school” argued cllr Khan. 

Ah! A disagreement. But not really. They met half way; they’re kind of neither secular nor faith-based. 

“Muslim children have ‘needs’ that’s all, and in a predominantly Muslim area, these needs must be met” the pair agreed.  They may not be faith schools as such, and by introducing Muslim values the Muslims parents are only trying to improve standards and raise attainment.

Faisal Khan believes that rigid adherence to Islamic practices and all the trappings equals attainment. These things bring about the kind of transformation to which he and the Muslim parents aspire.    

Oh dear. The bulk of the iceberg is still below the surface, and I bet the BBC hopes it stays right there.

***

Pantomime.

I said we’d be hearing more about the play called “My name is” - going forward - though I wished it weren’t so. 

Unfortunately I was right the first time. The trio cropped up on Women’s Hour the other day. Jane Garvey gave the play a good plug, emphasising the initial ‘romance‘ that led to predictable disappointment and tediousness. (The plug, the play and the real-life pantomime) 

The tale is not at all feminist-friendly, I’d have thought. Obviously, Islam trumps feminism (and homosexuality) so none of the awkward questions the whole situation cries out for, materialised.

***

"Rich Jews voted for Mrs Thatcher"

How Jews vote. 

Ken Livingstone has drawn attention to himself again. The BBC invited him onto Newsnight for some unknown reason. Well, it wasn’t entirely unknown. I don’t know if he momentarily forgot all the fuss that his crass utterances about Jews are apt to generate, but he let one slip out, which generated the appropriate fuss as well as some inappropriate fuss. 

The reason the BBC did invite him onto the programme might have been devilishness on the part of the producer, or it might have been because the producer thought he was still a contender, or something. But his very appearance jarred. It turned me into one of those people that object to someone’s very appearance, even before they’ve opened their trap.   That’s not the sort of person I like to be, so I wish they wouldn’t do it again.