Question
Too often, antisocial behaviour on our streets comes with a racist edge, and tackling it starts with naming it, something that shamefully the wannabe Chancellor, the right hon. Member for Newark (Robert Jenrick)—I have informed him that I would be referring to him—could not do this weekend when asked whether calling the Leader of the Opposition a “Nigerian scammer” is racist. Will the Minister say what he could not, and outline what the Government are doing to tackle racist antisocial behaviour?
Answer
Of course that comment is racist. We know that race and religious hate crime is rising and we are very concerned about that. We have taken some legislative action when it comes to protests, around things like cumulative impact and places of worship. We have our social cohesion plan, “Protecting What Matters”, and we have invested record amounts of money—sadly, we have had to do so—to protect religious spaces for the Jewish community, the Muslim community, and those of other faiths including Sikhs. We have put in £250 million to protect our Jewish communities. There is more to do, but we are certainly in agreement that that was racist, and we need to tackle all forms of hate crime.11% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (66/100)
The Minister clearly and directly said the comment in question was racist, which fully answers the first part of the question. The second part, about what is being done to address racist antisocial behaviour, is only partly answered: the reply lists concrete measures, but they focus mainly on hate crime, protest legislation and protecting Jewish communities and religious spaces, rather than on racist antisocial behaviour specifically. A member of the public would have a clear answer on the first point but may need to ask a follow-up about the second.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister state whether calling the Leader of the Opposition a "Nigerian scammer" is racist? | Addressed | Direct | The Minister directly answers the question by stating that the comment is racist, and repeats that position in a second statement. |
| What is the Government doing to tackle racist antisocial behaviour? | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply names concrete measures, including the "Protecting What Matters" social cohesion plan, protest legislation, and £250 million for protecting Jewish communities, but these centre on hate crime and protecting religious spaces rather than on racist antisocial behaviour as such, so the answer is only partly responsive. |