Dominic Grieve: Society damaged by Labour's politically correct policies on multiculturalism
By Martin Beckford, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Last Updated: 3:56PM GMT 04 Mar 2009
Mr Grieve, the shadow justice secretary, claims the regulation of private opinions and public debate have left people unable to say what they think is right or wrong.
He believes Britain is suffering an "identity breakdown" after a decade in which the Government has destroyed respect for the country's history and culture.
And he warns that the failure to discuss multiculturalism by mainstream political groups has been exploited by the far-right British National Party, which is now taking council seats across the country.
His comments come a week after Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, said people must be free to discuss contentious issues without fear of "over-reaction".
But speaking at the Lord Smith of Clifton Lecture at Queen Mary, University of London, Mr Grieve said: "In fact if she is serious, she is heralding a U-turn on 12 years of Labour policy.
"A decade of ranking people as members of neatly categorised ethnic, religious or social groups, rather than treating everyone as an individual in their own right."
He highlighted the cases of Caroline Petrie, the nurse suspended for offering to pray for a patient, and Jennie Cain, the school receptionist whose five-year-old daughter was scolded for talking about Hell to another girl, as examples to "disproportionate reactions" that damage "the worthy cause of promoting harmony".
Mr Grieve went on: "At the other extreme, the lack of a credible response from the mainstream right to the current issues of multiculturalism has now left a gap, which is being filled by extremist voices. UKIP and the British National Party have taken advantage to suggest policies not based on a reasoned morality but which play on fear and encourage hatred.
"The zealous regulation of conduct, the imposition of state-defined orthodoxy on public and private conscience and the overburdening of law and regulation, have the consequence of undermining that confidence and are deterring participation and engagement.
"Increasing prescription is robbing us of our ability to decide ourselves what is right and wrong.
"Indeed the reluctance to exercise reasonable judgment and to criticise or challenge negative cultural imports into our country, including discriminatory practises against women and corrupt political and electoral practises, is one of the most troubling consequences of a culture that wishes to avoid offence and accusations of racism.
"Multiculturalism was intended to create a more cohesive and friendlier society by facilitating bringing people together. But instead the laws and concepts underlying it seem to me to drive people apart endangering our traditional sense of community based on commons values.
"I am convinced that this approach has hindered more recent immigrants to this country developing a sense of belonging. Faced with a society that seems to be suffering an identity breakdown, should we be surprised that they find a common identity with their fellow countrymen hard to identify?"
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