George Alagiah: 'My fears for Apartheid UK'

Daily Mail UK ^ | 21st Aug 2006 | By JAMES CHAPMAN

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One of Britain's most prominent ethnic minority figures today attacks the excesses of multiculturalism.

BBC newsreader George Alagiah says taking the policy too far has created segregated areas like ‘apartheid’s social engineers dreamed of’ in South Africa.

He warns that race relations diktats have created ‘ring-fenced’ communities in some parts of Britain and may even be fuelling home-grown terrorism.

In an outspoken attack, the Sri Lankan-born broadcaster says segregation and deprivation have become a 'combustible combination'.

Of the 7/7 bombings last year, he says: "Whatever else motivated the suicide bombers, an alienation from the country in which they lived must surely have been a factor."

He is the latest leading ethnic minority figure to question the central planks of multiculturalism.

Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Racial Equality, and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu have expressed serious doubts about a set of beliefs that have held sway for more than two decades.

Mr Alagiah, 50, is one of the BBC's most senior journalists and is the main presenter of the Six O'Clock News.

His family were Sri Lankan Tamils who moved to Ghana when he was six to avoid persecution before settling in Britain five years later.

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His views may not go far enough for many FReepers but this is a significant contribution from a well respected MSN news reporters.

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"Apartheid" suggest that Muslims will be allowed to remain in England at all, albeit as second-class citizens.