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Blears to insist on 'core values' Blears to insist on 'core values'
(about 11 hours later)
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears is expected to call for a tougher line on Government contacts with individuals and groups which promote extremism. Hazel Blears has said people must not be over-sensitive in challenging ideas that conflict with British values.
In a speech, Ms Blears will urge a "dividing line" between those embracing and rejecting British "core values". The minister said there was a need to be "a lot clearer" about respect for others, equality before the law, free speech and tackling discrimination.
Practices like forced marriages and female genital mutilation needed to be challenged, she said.
"It's not about attacking people's culture it's about saying in this country we have certain bottom lines."
The communities secretary is due to give a speech later on government contact with individuals and groups which promote extremism.
Radical rhetoric
Ms Blears is urging a "dividing line" between those embracing and rejecting British "core values".
She told BBC Radio Five Live: "I'm saying we need to be clearer in setting out what we think is right, what we think is wrong, challenging the views of people which are extremist and do not support the values we have in Britain - and I do think we need to be clear about that."
It will be seen as a warning to Muslim groups that they will not be engaged with unless they end radical rhetoric.It will be seen as a warning to Muslim groups that they will not be engaged with unless they end radical rhetoric.
A "sophisticated and not simplistic" approach will determine who ministers should meet, she is expected to add. There is a need for moral clarity, a dividing line rooted in our overriding sense of what is right and wrong Hazel Blears
Ms Blears told the BBC there were clear boundaries about what was tolerated in British society - but sometimes people over-reacted and were worried about offending other faiths, when it was not necessary.
And she said people needed to understand other religions better and pointed to examples of people mistakenly fearing Christmas celebrations would offend faiths.
"Sometimes I think we overestimate people's sensitivities and it leads us to make decisions that are not entirely sensible."
And she said the "overwhelming majority" of people in Britain shared the same values.
"What I don't want to see happen is because people are frightened almost of offending people they are not even prepared to talk about issues."
She denied the speech was a jibe at Harriet Harman, the Labour deputy behind the Equalities Bill who has been at the centre of leadership speculation.
'Difficult and contentious''Difficult and contentious'
In the speech, at the London School of Economics, Ms Blears will argue that the government's engagement strategy must be part of its overall anti-extremism strategy. There is a need for moral clarity, a dividing line rooted in our overriding sense of what is right and wrong Hazel Blears "This is absolutely not about personality politics in any shape or form," Ms Blears said.
She will call for the government to actively challenge the views and methods of those who go beyond core values. "This is a serious speech. It's actually talking about trying to tackle violent extremism and recognising that these are sensitive issues."
In the speech, at the London School of Economics, Ms Blears will argue that the government's engagement strategy must be part of its overall anti-extremism strategy. She will call for the government to actively challenge the views and methods of those who go beyond core values.
In order to do that, ministers will have to work in "difficult and contentious territory".In order to do that, ministers will have to work in "difficult and contentious territory".
She will say: "There is a need for moral clarity, a dividing line rooted in our overriding sense of what is right and wrong."She will say: "There is a need for moral clarity, a dividing line rooted in our overriding sense of what is right and wrong."
Ms Blears' predecessor, Ruth Kelly, reduced official contacts with the Muslim Council of Britain in 2006 over its boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day - which has since been reversed.Ms Blears' predecessor, Ruth Kelly, reduced official contacts with the Muslim Council of Britain in 2006 over its boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day - which has since been reversed.