The UK has failed to truly integrate minorities, particularly Muslims of Pakistani and Bangladeshi- origin, leaving the ground open for extremists to exploit them, a new government-backed report said today.
Dame Louise Casey, a senior civil servant, in a study on community cohesion, commissioned by former prime minister David Cameron last year, has accused successive governments of failing on cohesion with attempts at integration amounting to nothing more than "saris, samosas and steel drums".
The report said: "Since 2010, cohesion policy has largely been squeezed out...Government's policy consisted of a relatively small pot of funding going towards small-scale exemplar projects such as inter-faith dialogue, training curry chefs or cross community social events such as the 'Big Lunch' and 'Our Big Gig'.
"This has been described to us as amounting to 'saris, samosas and steel drums' for the already well-intentioned. These are worthy and enjoyable projects which should continue but they are not enough on their own, nor should they be a substitute for tackling difficult issues."
In the report titled 'The Casey Review: A review into opportunity and integration', she was particularly critical of the segregation among Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin migrants to the UK.
"In some council wards, as many as 85 per cent of the population come from a single minority background, and most of these high minority concentrations are deprived Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage communities," she said.
"I have also seen and heard that this sense of retreat and retrenchment can sometimes go hand in hand with deeply regressive religious and cultural practices, especially when it comes to women. These practices are preventing women from playing a full part in society, contrary to our common British values, institutions and indeed, in some cases, our laws," she added.
In a foreword to the report, she warned: "A failure to talk about all this only leaves the ground open for the far-right on one side and Islamist extremists on the other.
"Every person, in every community, in every part of Britain, should feel a part of our nation and have every opportunity to succeed in it. There can be no exceptions to that by gender, colour or creed."
She underlined that it was important to fully acknowledge what is happening and resolve the problem of segregation.
"The problem has not been a lack of knowledge but a failure of collective, consistent and persistent will to do something about it or give it the priority it deserves at both a national and local level," Casey concluded.
"The work that has been done has often been piecemeal and lacked a clear evidence base or programme of evaluation," she said.
She admitted that her findings would put further pressure on Britain's 2.8 million Muslims, amid concerns about rising Islamophobia.
Among her many recommendations include new migrants to the UK being required to understand and commit to British values at the beginning of the immigration process.
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The report emphasised that promoting English language among immigrants should highlighted as the "single most important thing we can do" to improve cohesion.
The Casey review also recommends that safeguards are put in place for ethnic minority children who are not in mainstream education but who are being taught in religious establishments or at home.
A new oath of allegiance will be drawn up to be taken by all holders of public office.
"Misogyny and patriarchy has to come to an end," the report stressed.
UK communities secretary Sajid Javid said he would study the findings "closely".
"We need to take a serious look at the facts and must not shy away from the challenges we face. Dame Louise's report is a valuable contribution, and I will be studying her findings closely," he said.
In elements of the report leaked over the weekend, it had emerged that Casey during her UK-wide study tour found that Britain has so many all-Muslim enclaves that in some areas people believe Britain is an Islamic country.
Her review team found that in some areas Muslims are completely cut off from the rest of Britain with their own housing estates, schools and television channels.
People from all-Muslim enclaves in northern England cities such as Bradford, Dewsbury and Blackburn seldom leave their areas and have almost no idea of life outside.
