TUC calls for end to Muslim poverty

The government has been urged to tackle poverty and poor health and create jobs for UK Muslims of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, in a report by the Trades Union Congress.

The report claimed that people of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin are among the most deprived in the UK, with 69% living in poverty, compared to 20% of white people.

Those of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin are also more likely to have no qualifications or suffer a limiting long-term illness, the TUC report found. They also have the lowest employment rate (43%) of any ethnic group.

Although many Muslims are not from Pakistan or Bangladesh, they do make up the majority of UK Muslims at 60%.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber called on the government to tackle the problems of poverty, poor health and lack of jobs for the UK’s Pakistani and Bangladeshi population. Speaking ahead of a visit to the East London Mosque on Wednesday, Mr Barber said: “There has been much debate about the future of our multicultural society once we learnt that the London bombers were from the UK. Trade unions were quick to call for support for Muslim communities, who were as horrified by these attacks as anyone else, but have been subject to racist attacks and far right abuse.

“Of course social deprivation and poverty is no excuse for criminality, but it can be a breeding ground for poisonous beliefs of all kinds. And even if there had been no bomb attacks, a civilised country should not tolerate such high levels of poverty and deprivation.

“We have had too many cheap calls for Muslims to integrate – some of which have come close to asking people to give up crucial parts of their identity. Building a tolerant liberal society where we are all free to express all the different sides that make up anyone’s identity will be that much harder when some groups suffer from such extreme levels of deprivation and poverty.”

(KMcA/SP)