Shop

Petition


Contact Us


Speakers


Campaign Centre

PC Book

Useful Links

Latest News


Laura Midgley on ITV's This Morning and in the BBC Radio Stoke Studio during
 a live phone-in on political correctness.

Scottish civil servants told not to say ‘homosexual’
28 June 2011

Guidelines issued to civil servants in Scotland said; “It is not acceptable to use the word ‘homosexual.’ This term is offensive to many people as it is the term that was used in law to make same-sex sexual relationships illegal.”  Co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, John Midgley, said: “The word homosexual to most people would be as inoffensive as heterosexual. It is silly to claim they are loaded terms – they are neutral and simply describe sexual orientation.  This sort of mumbo-jumbo is completely counterproductive to good community relations.”  Elsewhere on this website, supporters of the Campaign Against Political Correctness have said that they definitely want to be called homosexual and not gay.  

Click here to read the story on Pink News.

Philip Davies under fire for saying that minimum wage more of a hindrance than a help to disabled workers
17 June 2011

Philip Davies said in Parliament today: 'The people who are most disadvantaged by the national minimum wage are the most vulnerable in society.  My concern about it is it prevents those people from being given the opportunity to get the first rung on the employment ladder.  When I went to visit Mind and I spoke to people there that were using the service offered by that charity they were absolutely upfront with me and they said that when they went for a job and they came across a situation where there were other people who had applied for that job, they've got mental health problems, other people haven't, they said to me 'Who would you take on?'. Because they were quite accepting of the fact it was inevitable that the employer would take on the person who hasn't got any mental health problems given that they were both going to be having to be paid the same rate.'

The huge irony is that the Equality and Human Rights Commission actually do pay their disabled staff less than other workers as they have been forced to admit in Parliamentary Questions.

This exchange also took place on 5 May 2011 in the House of Commons:

Philip Davies: Is it not an absolute farce that the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which is given taxpayers’ money to go round lecturing the rest of the country about equal pay for people with disabilities, itself pays non-disabled people more than people with disabilities?

Maria Miller: My hon. Friend raises an important issue. It is vital that disabled people have a level playing field when it comes to pay and conditions, and I am sure that we will want to hlook into the point that he has raised.

Star Etheridge (pictured) said: 'I approve of everything said by Mr Davies and as a disabled person with related mental health issues I can tell you he is spot on.' For further comments from Star you can visit her Facebook page.

STORIES ADDED HERE HAVE BEEN MOVED

They should be coming back soon - sorry for any inconvenience.

Britain in 2010 - disgraceful, disgusting, shameful, sickening- enough is enough
11 April 2010

Anyone reading the story in today's Mail on Sunday about the case of Roy Amor must feel sick to their stomach.  Here we see the really nasty side of political correctness laid out bare. Being accused of racism is seriously distressing and it is something that those who think that political correctness is the only way forward have never understood.  In many cases that we have seen, the horror of being called racist has far outweighed any possible offence in the first instance and if the case of Roy Amor does not demonstrate this point we don't know what will.  It is alleged that Roy Amor killed himself after becoming very distressed for being suspended from his job over a joke with a friend.  It was not the friend who complained and we hope that the person who felt it necessary to put this man through hell and ultimately to take his own life has this on their conscience for the rest of their life.  Those who push political correctness are supposed to be the nice ones.  Be in no doubt that many of them are not.  Those of us who believe in real tolerance, decency, politeness and fairness have to now stand up and say that being accused of racism is very offensive and upsetting and banding this around willy nilly in the name of political correctness has to stop.  Our hearts go out to the family of Roy Amor and we sincerely hope this galvanises people into action to fight the very serious threat of political correctness we all face.

To read the full very sad story in the Mail on Sunday click here.

To help us ensure that this does not happen again and help us to support anyone going through this awful experience please click here to donate to our "Victims of PC" fund.

Tombola Bingo advert banned as ASA deem it to be "racist"
17 March 2010

The commercial for bingo website Tombola.co.uk is part of a series set on a fictional desert island named Tombola in which travellers arrive to play versions of the game.
In this one a white, middle aged man in a dinner suit and bow tie is sitting on the beach with a black man dressed in a flowery shirt and playing a ukelele.

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "This advert is light-hearted and fun and it is ridiculous that the Advertising Standards Authority have gone back on the original decision to allow it after receiving just 2 complaints.  The Advertising Standards Authority's conclusion is unbelievable.  Are they seriously suggesting that the black actor in the advert would have taken part in a racist advert?  People who are obsessed with political correctness end up looking for racism where it does not exist - as with this advert - and yet they actually are the ones who are putting good race relations at risk."

The "offending" video can be viewed here - it is video number 3 in the series and the Advertising Standards Authority decision can be viewed here.

Click here for the story in the Daily Star.

Jedi Knight accuses Job Centre of discrimination for asking him to remove his hood
17 March 2010

When benefits claimant Chris Jarvis was asked to put down his hood in a Jobcentre, he said he was entitled to wear it because of his Jedi 'faith'. 

A spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness said: 'This is the problem with the equality and diversity agenda. I'm sure when the legislation was being drawn up people didn't have in mind a Jedi who would sue because they couldn't wear their hood.'

Philip Davies MP tackles Harriet Harman over all-women shortlists for seats unless her husband is applying
5 March 2010

Harriet Harman was challenged yesterday over her support for all-women shortlists when it appears to suit her!  Philip Davies, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, initiated the following exchange in the House of Commons during Business Questions:

Philip Davies: May we have a debate on the desirability or otherwise of positive discrimination in the workplace? During that debate perhaps the Leader of the House will explain why she is so in favour of all-women shortlists in every single constituency around the country, apart from when her husband is seeking selection, and whether she considers that to be sleaze.

Ms Harman: Even I am not in favour of 100 per cent. all-women shortlists, although when I see the hon. Gentleman it tempts me to think that I might be mistaken. Unlike the Conservative party, more than half our shortlists are all-women-more than half. With regard to the fewer than half of shortlists that are open shortlists, anyone can apply, both women and men. Indeed, women have been chosen from some of the open shortlists that we have had.

"English Speaking Driver" signs branded racist
3 February 2010

Southampton Council have threatened to remove licences from taxi drivers in the area who continue to use notices saying "English Speaking Driver".  Licensing committee chairman, Councillor Brian Parnell, allegedly said: “It is offensive to drivers from ethnic minorities who form a large part of the city’s drivers.”  Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "The first mistake the Council has made is that they have confirmed that they are in fact racist.  They are saying - by virtue of their own allegation - that only non-ethnic minorities speak English.  This is, of course, nonsense and shows a rather large lack of understanding!".  She went on to say: “At the end of the day this is England and we speak English. The customer has got to be able to understand the driver and they must be able to understand their passengers.” 

Click here for the full story in the Daily Express.

Thomas The Tank Engine is sexist
10 December 2009

According to Professor Shauna Wilton, who analysed 23 episodes of the programme inspired by the books of the Rev W V Awdry, women are under-represented in the Thomas The Tank Engine stories and what few female characters there are tend to have 'secondary' roles or be bossy.  They also apparently portray a world blighted by a 'conservative political ideology' and a rigid class system which stifles self-expression. 

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: 'I cannot believe anyone has the time and energy to do such a study. I'm surprised she hasn't singled out the Fat Controller as an example of fattism too.  Children should just be left to enjoy the innocent fun of Thomas without the politically- correct brigade stoking the fires and ruining their enjoyment.'

Click here to read the story in the Daily Mail.

Christmas cracker jokes changed by major manufacturer
26 November 2009

A spokesman for Swantex, based in Swanley, Kent, said the firm was “constantly vigilant” about changing attitudes.  That is why we go through this rigorous checking process every year to make sure we are in touch with popular opinion.”

John Midgley, Co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: “Why on Earth can’t people enjoy traditional jokes in their crackers rather than be forced to have less funny PC alternatives.  Shouldn’t Christmas be the one time people can be free from PC in their own home? It’s completely crackers. (boom boom)"

Click here to read the whole story in the Daily Express.

Report recommends requirement for political parties to report twice a year on the diversity of their candidate selection procedures
25 November 2009

An interim report from the Speaker's Conference - a special type of Commons inquiry into electoral law and reform - has recommended an amendment to the Equality Bill (currently going through the House of Commons) which would require political parties to publish, every six months, results of their candidate selection processes.  This would mean that they could be compared to each other and other parties worldwide.

Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru provided the inquiry with results of past selection procedures - including gender, ethnicity and whether they had indicated sexual orientation and disability. The Speaker's Conference has already, apparently, requested two further monitoring reports from parties by 11 January and 15 March next year.

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "This is an absurd suggestion.  It is very sad that in 2009 people are so obsessed with people's ethnicity, their sex and matters that people should be entitled to keep private like their sexual orientation.  It is quite clear that the public do not generally care less who represents them as long as their views and ideas are something they agree with.  In this age of blandness and where the public want to see people with convictions in politics it would be far more helpful if we could focus on getting the very best candidates with ideas for Britain's future rather than putting parties on the spot over their progress on what should be irrelevant factors in deciding who will make a good MP."

Click here to read the story on the BBC News website.

Campaign advises Mayor of Doncaster
13 November 2009

The Yorkshire Post has followed up our meeting with the Mayor of Doncaster after having sight of the briefing we provided.  Amongst a whole raft of suggestions made to the Mayor of Doncaster, we suggested replacing Black History Month with British History Month or English History Month and that there was a full audit of jobs at the Council to ensure that no "nanny state" posts existed.

The Yorkshire Post reported that "The campaign's briefing is full of money-saving suggestions and the common sense approach of some of them would find favour with many."

Many of the suggestions that have been reported as being part of our briefing were actually clearly separate and marked as being based on a list by Harry Phibbs.  Details of all his suggestions can be found here in a piece he wrote for the Daily Mail.

Click here for the story as reported in the Yorkshire Post.

Peter Tatchell says ban on heterosexual civil partnerships is heterophobic
12 November 2009

"The ban on heterosexual civil partnerships is heterophobic. It is discriminatory and offensive. I want to see it ended, so that straight couples like Tom and Katherine [see below] can have the option of a civil partnership.  I applaud their challenge to this unjust legislation. In a democratic society, we should all be equal under the law. The ban on same-sex civil marriage and on opposite-sex civil partnerships is a form of sexual apartheid - one law for straight couples and another law for heterosexual partners."

London heterosexual couple, Tom Freeman and Katherine Doyle, plan to challenge the ban on opposite-sex civil partnerships, by filing an application at Islington Registry Office in London.  They say the denial of civil partnerships to heterosexual couples is "discriminatory and perpetuates legal inequality."

The term "gang rape" is deemed "too emotive" for use by the police
10 November 2009

In his report 'Multi-Perpetrator Rape and Youth Violence', Detective Chief Inspector Mark Yexley said that the "common parlance" for such attacks was "gang rape" but argued that did not mean it was the right phrase to use as it was an "emotive term".  A Metropolitan police spokesman confirmed the report did amount to new guidance saying: "Recent academic studies have suggested that the term ‘Multiple Perpetrator Rape’ should be used as the overarching term for offences involving two or more perpetrators."

Almost six years ago Sir John Stevens, then the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, ignited a row by objecting to use of the term 'gang rape' in an article by The Daily Telegraph, choosing to refer to it as "group rape".

John Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "Everybody knows what a gang rape entails and the police should have far better things to do than to worry about the terms used to describe horrific crimes such as this.  They should be more concerned about taking action to prevent such crimes instead of wasting time on politically correct name changes."  

Click here for the story in the Daily Telegraph.

Cartoon warnings proposed
3 November 2009

Dr Pfeffer, a psychologist, will say today that children’s television programmes, particularly live action programmes, should have ratings for parents on the portrayal of injury content in order to help parents make informed decisions about their children’s television viewing.  Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign against Political Correctness said: “It is ridiculous to say that cartoons should carry warnings for parents, a cartoon is self evidently a cartoon and should be taken as a humorous programme for a child. This suggestion can only come from an academic trapped in an ivory tower who is out of touch with the real world.  Carrying nanny-state warnings on cartoons will not mean the end of violence in society. It’s a ridiculous notion.”

Click here for the full story in the Daily Telegraph.

Glasgow MSP bids to ban the sale of gollies on eBay
2h November 2009

Glasgow MSP Bill Kidd, a member of Holyrood's equal opportunities committee, has written to eBay and Amazon demanding a blanket ban on the sale of golly dolls. He said: "In a multicultural society they are offensive to many people."  An eBay spokeswoman said it would review sales "as a priority" even though a ban would hit those trading in jam firm Robertson's highly collectable Golly badges.

John Midgley, from the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "eBay should not be prevented from selling what are effectively toys."

Click here for the story in the Scottish Sun.

UPDATE 11 NOVEMBER 2009 - eBay have confirmed in correspondence with our Parliamentary Spokesman, Philip Davies MP, that they have written to Bill Kidd saying that they will not be banning the sale of golliwogs on their site.  Click here to read the letter they have sent to Mr Kidd in pdf format.

MP brings Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill to Commons
16 October 2009

Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, will be in Parliament today hoping for a debate on his Private Members Bill - The Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill.  The Bill is supported by David Davis MP, Ann Widdecombe MP, Peter Lilley MP, John Whittingdale MP, David Heathcoat-Amory MP, Greg Knight MP, Graham Brady MP, Ann Winterton MP, Christopher Chope MP and Sir Nicholas Winterton MP. The Bill would prohibit the present obsession with Equality and Diversity targets which focus on the equality of outcome of recruitment processes (e.g. with targets for women and ethnic minority candidates) rather than just saying everyone should have a fair chance whatever the result.

To see the Bill click here - the short title of the Bill is to prohibit the use of affirmative and positive action in recruitment and appointment processes; to repeal the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002; and for connected purposes.

Spotted Dick re-named Spotted Richard
8 September 2009

So-called "Childish" remarks about the pudding Spotted Dick has forced a council in Wales to change the name on its menu.  They will now call it "Spotted Richard" or "Sultana Sponge".  The decision was apparently made by canteen staff at Flintshire County Council after they became fed up with immature comments from customers choosing the pudding.  A spokesperson from the council says staff just wanted to put an end to the childish comments they received every time they served Spotted Dick.  But John Midgley, the co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, told Sky News he thought the council "will be made a laughing-stock of" and that the move will be "completely and utterly counter-productive".  Michael Winner said that he found the decision "absolutely ridiculous beyond belief".  He added: "Spotted Dick is a classic and lovely name for a traditional British dish."  Recipes for the pudding date back to the 19th Century but despite a number of theories, the name's origin has never been discovered.

Click here to read the story on the Sky News website and here in the Daily Express.

UPDATE:  Following much attention to this decision the name Spotted Dick is, apparently, back in use again!  This is a good reversal and one we wholeheartedly commend.

No crisps or cans in front of the children please
29 August 2009

Janitors in South Lanarkshire have been told not to drink fizzy drinks or eat high fat food in front of school children.  A letter to janitorial staff said: "It is vitally important that all employees actively encourage pupils to eat healthily.  We should lead by example and not consume cans or bottles of sugar rich carbonated drinks or eat high fat, high salt content foods.  This sends out the wrong message to pupils."  A Council spokeswoman reinforced the point saying: "It is our view that all of our employees can play an active part in encouraging our pupils to eat healthily."

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "I think the council is getting confused about who are the adults here - the janitors are.  This is completely mad. I feel very sorry for the poor janitors.  I think they should all go out and buy Pot Noodles for lunch as a form of protest."

Click here to read the story in the Scottish Sun newspaper.

Massive lottery grant for PC project
26 August 2009

A huge lottery grant of nearly £400,000 has been awarded to Each (Educational Action Challenging Homophobia) for a Bristol project called "Reach".  It will, apparently, form a youth group to be involved in decision-making processes that affect lesbian, gay and bisexual young people through consultation with agencies around Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset.  It will also develop a youth group for those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual, or questioning their sexuality, and develop a group of young people who will deliver training and peer mentoring to adults, young people and organisations around homophobia and other lesbian, gay and bisexual issues.  Each's executive director, Jonathan Charlesworth, said: "Each's lottery win, in the year we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, is most welcome."

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness said: "This is an awful lot of money and it sounds like much of it will be spent on talking shops.  I'm sure people in the community would rather have funding that would benefit all. Often singling out groups of people for special treatment creates more problems than it solves. Funding that would go to a group involving all people would be more inclusive."

Nicholas Rogers, a council candidate in Lambeth said: "Leaving aside the laughably patronising nature of the group’s mission (I have never needed a penny of taxpayer cash to help me become "the best person I can be" nor has any other gay person I know), I was amazed that there could not have been more worthy projects in Bristol, a city of half a million people, which could benefit more than a tiny handful of the community."

Click here for the story in the Bristol Evening Post.

Citizen's Advice service replaces word "blacklisting" to avoid causing offence
17 August 2009

The Citizen's Advice service has e-mailed staff to say that the word "blacklisting" has been replaced by "blocklisting".  When asked why they had done this a Spokesman said: "Our approach to language is not prescriptive or dogmatic, but where we know or become aware that something is offensive, fosters stereotypes or prejudice, or is inaccurate, it makes sense and is respectful to use alternatives."  

John Midgley, co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "This is just daft.  This is yet another example of political correctness and will do nothing to help good relations between people.  On this basis, shouldn't we ban words like "whitewash" as this is hardly a positive term?".

Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail.

Fund to prevent extremism focuses on focus groups and wages
12 August 2009

The majority of the half a million pounds for a 'community involvement' project to tackle violent extremism in Sheffield is paying for focus groups and council officials' wages.  Just £200,000 of the £505,000 budget - to be spent over the next two years - has been allocated to community work, only £50,000 of which will go to voluntary organisations at grass roots.

Laura Midgley, co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, hired by new Mayor of Doncaster Peter Davies to "root out political correctness", added: "It's an awful lot of talking and hot air. It's politically-correct pussy-footing. The money needs to be spent on the front line."

Abdool Gooljar, chairman of the Islamic Society of Britain's Sheffield branch, said: "It's outrageous. Just how is the community going to benefit? Money needs to be spent at grass-roots level, where Muslim children say they feel alienated, labelled as terrorists and don't feel part of the community.  The money is being spent in areas where it is not going to do anything."

Click here for the story in the Sheffield Star newspaper.

Campaign Against Political Correctness called in to advise new Mayor of Doncaster how he can cut Political Correctness
5 August 2009

Photo © The Star Newspaper

The Campaign Against Political Correctness was asked to go to Doncaster to advise the new Mayor, Peter Davies, how he could cut (and in some cases eliminate) political correctness.  We will be keeping you posted of progress in Doncaster via our new "Anti-PC Mayor" section on the website but the initial meeting unearthed plenty of opportunities to start to cut back some of the institutional political correctness seen in councils up and down the country.

Click here to read coverage of the meeting in The Star newspaper, here to read about it in the Doncaster Free Press blog, here for the story in the main paper and here to read it in the Daily Mail.

Sammy Wilson MP says some groups use charges of racism to get more funding
5 August 2009

Northern Ireland's Finance Minister, Sammy Wilson MP, has criticised some groups in Northern Ireland for possibly playing a trumped up race card all too often.  He commented: "What I had said was that first of all when there was any attempt to have an honest debate on the issue of immigration, immediately the people who were involved in that were accused of being racist.  Secondly these charges of racism then were always coincided with the holding out of the hand for more money for the organisations which were dealing with the issue.  From that point of view organisations like NICEM needed to keep raising this issue because that was one way of perpetuating their own existence."

Click here to read the full story on the BBC News website.

Met police officers victory in badge ban
29 July 2009

The Metropolitan Police have backed down after a confrontation with officers over the wearing of a small Union Jack badge in support of British troops which raise funds for the Royal British Legion and the Help for Heroes charity. Officers had originally been told that they could not wear the badges after a complaint by a member of the public but after a Downing Street petition and the intervention of the Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson a police spokesman said today: "The Met has a dress code policy which states that only approved corporate badging may be used, however on this occasion, the Commissioner has decided to intervene. He feels these are exceptional circumstances and the MPS should be openly showing their support for British troops serving abroad."

Click here to read the full story in the London Evening Standard.

No Union Jack on ID cards to recognise Irish identity rights
17 July 2009

There is to be no Union Jack on the new ID cards it has been revealed.  Jeffrey Donaldson MP said: "I think that for a Prime Minister who once urged people to fly the Union Flag in their gardens and talked about being proud of Britishness, it is disappointing that he and his Government don't see fit to include such an important national symbol as our flag on the ID card."  The decision had "much to do with political correctness and little to do with offence", he argued

Click here for the full story in the Belfast Newsletter.

Pagan Police Association given approval
17 July 2009

The Home Office has apparently given its backing to the Pagan Police Association which will be able to claim public funding (rather like that of the Black Police Association) and whose members may be entitled to time off for 8 pagan annual festivals including Halloween and Summer Solstice.

John Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "The police should act as one unified force and be allowed to get on with their job of fighting crime.  All these separate groups, unnecessarily funded by the taxpayer, do little to create harmony and are actually quite divisive."  

Click here to read the whole article in the Express and here to read an article by Richard Littlejohn for the Mail.

Police told to recruit gypsies into forces to be "more representative"
12 July 2009

Police forces across the country are being told to recruit gypsies as part of the latest politically correct diversity plans.  The Association of Police Authorities' scheme called 'Local Employment Targets For Under-Represented Groups' says police forces have a duty to reflect the communities they serve and senior officers are so concerned about hitting the new quotas they have been inviting young travellers to their training colleges. 

Emma Nuttall, a spokeswoman for Friends, Families And Travellers, an organisation that campaigns for the rights of gypsies and travellers, said: “Gypsies get a bad press. We welcome this recruitment plan wholeheartedly.  We are already in discussion with a number of police forces, including Sussex and Kent.”

Philip Davies, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness said: “I absolutely despair, this is utter nonsense.  It should be irrelevant whether police officers are black, white, gay, straight, muslim or Christian, gypsy or not. The only consideration should be whether they are people who can uphold the law without fear or favour.  Furthermore, this is potentially dangerous because police forces could end up recruiting people who might not be the best people, just to meet their quota.  The police were branded institutionally racist a few years ago, now they are becoming institutionally politically correct.”

John Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: “It is absolutely astounding that police authorities should get involved in political correctness to this degree.  What we want is the best possible policemen, not policemen appointed by a tick-box culture.  How ridiculous it is for them to suggest that the police force needs to be representative of the society in which we live.  On that basis, ultimately they would want to employ criminals as police officers as a proportion of society is made up of criminals.”

Click here to read the full document by the Association of Police Authorities in pdf format or here or above to read the full article in the Sunday Express.

MP calls on Government to stop being obsessed with politically correct tick boxes in Northern Ireland
8 July 2009

In an exchange in the House of Commons today, Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, asked the Government Minister responsible for Northern Ireland to comment on a politically correct section of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 which forces consultation to be undertaken in the widest sense for sometimes the smallest things.  This provision means that the pushing of so-called "Equality and Diversity" in this way is far greater than the legislation covering, for example, England and makes Northern Ireland almost part of a sort of politically correct experiment.  Just click here to read more about the duty.  Sammy Wilson MP agreed with the points made by Philip Davies and his comments are also below:

Philip Davies (Shipley): What recent discussions his Department has had with the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland on its review of the effectiveness of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.

The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Paul Goggins): The Northern Ireland Office contributed to the Equality Commission’s consultation process during its review of the effectiveness of section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Copies of the report were placed in the Libraries of the House on 9 June.

Philip Davies: Having recently had discussions with elected politicians in Northern Ireland who find section 75 to be a bureaucratic, institutionalised piece of political correctness, I ask the Minister to consider repealing the provision instead of encouraging such politically correct box-ticking, which does nothing to improve community relations in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: Why did I think that the hon. Gentleman might use the phrase “political correctness”? I ask him to reflect for a second on the importance of the commitment to equality and fairness in Northern Ireland in the context of the past 10 years. Putting equality and fairness at the heart of the political and public policy-making agenda is absolutely essential to ensure that peace takes the place of violence and sectarian hatred.

Sammy Wilson (East Antrim): While the Secretary of State emphasises the importance of fairness and equality being at the heart of affairs in Northern Ireland, does he accept that the legislation as currently drafted has led to an extensive and unnecessary piece of equality legislation that has led in turn to the build-up of an equality industry that serves few of the purposes that he outlined in his answer, and that therefore any future legislation should be designed to dismantle that industry while ensuring that the principles of fairness and equality remain?

Paul Goggins: I do not accept or recognise the description that the hon. Gentleman has given. There is a commitment to equality; indeed, there is an absolute responsibility on public authorities to consider all their policies in relation to equality. Where it is felt that there might be an adverse impact, an equalities impact assessment should be provided. The important thing, as the Equality Commission has recognised, is not the process but the practical outcome in terms of the lives that people lead. I hope that in future we will focus on those practical outcomes more than on anything else.

Click here for the link to the actual exchange in the House of Commons right before the start of Prime Minister's Questions or to watch it please see below:

Morris dancers cancelled from school's diversity and culture show
30 June 2009

The headmistress of Chantry Primary School, Hazel King, cancelled a booking for Morris Men saying: ‘We organised the event to bring a diverse and fragile community together.  To celebrate all cultures we booked a Morris troupe, having failed to recognise the possible significance for our community of their tradition to perform with blackened faces.  We found ourselves in a difficult position of weighing up any potential offence versus not wishing to compromise the Morris dancers’ tradition.’

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, has written to the headmistress asking if she can explain what is wrong with being black which could, as she says, cause offence. Laura Midgley also enclosed a copy of an article which refers to Nelson Mandela's support for a councillor who had blacked up his face to go to a fancy dress party (but later found himself at the centre of a race row) asking Hazel King for her comments on his intervention.

Nelson Mandela's official spokesman said at the time of the incident involving the councillor: "We are not oversensitive about matters like these. Whilst we need to be respectful towards the character [of] events of this nature, we should try not to read racism into actions which may be completely innocent."  The full comment can be read here in an article in The Guardian.

Click here to read the full story about the Morris Dancers in the Daily Mail.

Police in Scotland to be judged on performance on diversity issues
23 June 2009

Police officers and civilian staff in Scotland will undergo a review throughout the year of how they are performing in “respect for diversity” issues. This, along with their performance in other skills, will decide their promotion prospects. Northern Constabulary Chief Constable Ian Latimer unveiled the plans at the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan and said they had nothing to with political correctness. He said, “Promoting equality and recognising diversity is fundamental to the success of policing.  Understanding, promoting and respecting equality and diversity are key components in creating greater and sustained public confidence and trust in policing, as both a service provider and employer."

The Campaign Against Political Correctness said, "What seems ominous is that officers could be judged on how well they have taken the diversity agenda on board. Their promotion could depend on it which seems Orwellian.”

Click here to read the full story in the Scottish Daily Express.

The Data Protection Act cannot be used as an excuse to ban parents taking photos of their children
23 June 2009

Deputy Information Commissioner David Smith has joined the debate about the banning of parents or grandparents taking photos of children.  He said: 'We recognise that parents want to capture significant moments on camera.  We want to reassure them and other family members that whatever they might be told, data protection does not prevent them taking photographs of their children and friends at school events.  Photographs taken for the family photo album are exempt from the Act and citing the Data Protection Act to stop people taking photos or filming their children at school is wrong.'

Specific examples of what is allowed as far as they are concerned include a parent taking 'a photograph of their child and some friends taking part in the school sports day to be put in the family photo album' and the video recording of school nativity plays.

Click here to read the whole article in the Daily Mail.

Now it is a "Gypsy Month" that is proposed for schools in the Black Country
15 June 2009

Sandwell Council’s Equality and Diversity Scrutiny Panel has made a list of 23 recommendations for the local authority to consider in order to prevent discrimination against nomadic communities and having a "Gypsy Month" in schools is one of the proposals they have put forward.  Cultural awareness training could also be made compulsory for anyone in regular, direct contact with gipsies or travellers. John Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "This is a suggestion for yet another so-called minority "month".  The calendar is increasingly becoming taken up by these events - soon there will not be enough months in the year to include every group of people and surely that will be discrimination against another group who has not yet had a month allocated to them!"

Click here for the link to the full story in the Express and Star.

New Doncaster Mayor, Peter Davies, says public funding for gay pride marches should be cut
6 June 2009

The newly elected mayor of Doncaster and founder member of the Campaign Against Political Correctness has said that public funding for gay pride marches should be cut.  Peter Davies said: "My policy is very simple.  I have nothing whatsoever against gays and lesbians, what they do in their private lives is absolutely fine" but that councils should not be spending money on parades about sexuality.

Click here for the story on the BBC News website.

Doctors concerned about use of politically correct jargon at work
4 June 2009

Senior anaesthetist Dr Peter Bamber led moves at the British Medical Association's consultants' conference to ban the euphemisms that are infiltrating the NHS.  He raised concerns about the use of politically correct language in the NHS which turns patients into 'clients' and 'service users'.  Dr Bamber said: 'We see all sorts of phrases creeping into the NHS. Some of it is an attempt to destigmatise conditions, but I do not think there is anything wrong with the use of "patient".  Using something else suggests the condition may be something the person should just snap out of and that is damaging in itself.'

Philip Davies MP opposes introduction of Association of Muslim Police
3 June 2009

In Business Questions in the House of Commons today Philip Davies MP said: "May we have a debate on organisations within the police force that undermine cohesion? We already have the deeply divisive National Black Police Association and West Yorkshire police has just announced that it is forming an association of Muslim police. I suggest to the Leader of the House that those organisations are extremely unhelpful, deeply divisive and do nothing to promote community cohesion and the principle of integration. May we have a debate on that issue, because many of my constituents and many people in my part of the world find such things entirely unacceptable?"

Click here to read the whole piece in Hansard or to watch it please see below.

M&S Chairman says that women have never had it so good at work
1 June 2009

In an interview for The Observer Magazine, Sir Stuart Rose, Chairman of Marks and Spencer said:

Rose also dismissed the idea that having children can create an uneven playing field for working mothers saying: "Childbirth is a biological fact," he said. "Women have children: I can't help that. But I know lots of women who have got two or three kids - Nicola Horlick is a good example - there are many girls in here [Marks & Spencer] who have got two kids who come to work. Kate Bostock [recently appointed to oversee the company's UK merchandising operation, including clothes and homeware] has got two or three kids and she's running the full-time, biggest buying job in the UK, so it can be done."

Click here to read the whole story in The Observer.

Reclaiming the word "diversity"
31 May 2009

The winners of Britain's Got Talent this year, dance group "Diversity", have reclaimed the "D" word from the PC zealots.  The brothers and friends chose the name to reflect the diverse nature of the group rather than, as has sadly become the norm, the opposite.  Instead of a false forced diversity where people are chosen based purely on their race, age etc etc they were naturally diverse and gelled perfectly as a group.  They were inventive, talented and a pleasure to watch - if you did not catch any of their acts you should be able to see their fantastic final performance on the link below. We won't say this very often but congratulations to "Diversity"!

American "Simpsons" style TV programme pokes fun at political correctness
29 May 2009

"The Goode Family" have hit TV screens in America satirising, amongst other things, political correctness.  The Goode family try to do the right thing and be politically correct at all times.  Yet this show highlights many of the problems that arise when you have an obsession with being politically correct but do not really understand that actions speak louder than words and that it is better to treat people as human beings rather than trying to put them all into neat tick boxes and treating them differently as a result.  Just click below to watch a trailer for the programme.

Kung Fu Flid film launched with actor who is "so bored of political correctness"
27 May 2009

Photo © The News Of The World

BBC actor Mat Fraser is trying to change public perception of the term "flid" saying, "Yeah, I'm a flid - what of it?  I'm aware it's going to sound negative to some people, but it's like the n-word. That's negative, isn't it?  Then it was reclaimed by the rap community. I'm trying to reclaim the f-word, if you like, as something positive."

He suggests that offensive terms have a generational link.

He also said, "I think some people, particularly the liberal ended press, might get the wrong end of the stick.  They might feel all 'ooooh ooooh we can't say that' 'cause they're all imprisoned by political correctness.  I'm so bored of political correctness - it hasn't really done me a lot of favours in my life."

Click here for the full story in the News Of The World and to watch Mat Fraser views on video.

Political row in Northern Ireland over lighthearted reference to Alzheimer's disease
21 May 2009

Sammy Wilson MP has been criticised for saying to SDLP assembly member Patsy McGlone that "perhaps Alzheimer's disease [had] set in" during an exchange.  Patsy McGlone asked the speaker Willie Hay to examine the remarks but the speaker subsequently found that the use of the phrase was not "unparliamentary".  When criticised by Patsy McGlone and the Alzheimer's Society in Northern Ireland, Sammy Wilson said, "My mother and father, at the end of their lives, did not recognise any of us because of Alzheimer's – sometimes people try to address the seriousness of this by trying to make light of it with loved ones rather than increasing their fear. I don't regret making the remark because first of all, I didn't make it to be intentionally hurtful to people who have suffered from Alzheimer's, it was made in a context where people knew it was a lighthearted remark, and it didn't hurt anybody at the time. It was resurrected a month later by somebody seeking to make a political point from it."

Click here for the full story in the Guardian.

Penny Vincenzi joins list of women opposing the Government's "Equality" agenda
14 May 2009

Following on from Harriet Harman's drive for so-called "Equality" which culminated in the second reading of the Equality Bill on Monday, author Penny Vincenzi has the following to say:

Last week, I had lunch with a group of remarkably successful women. They worked in advertising, and among them were the creative director of a major firm in New York, the head of research of a company in London, and the copywriting chief of one of the biggest firms in Manhattan. All of them were married and had a child or two, and they all clearly earned a lot of money and had plenty of fun, in and out of the office. You might think how wonderful it is that, thanks to the works of the great feminists plus enlightened legislation, they had been able to reach such dizzy heights and not come into collision with any glass ceilings. But you'd be wrong; for these women were hugely successful in the Sixties and Seventies, long before Harriet Harman's cackhanded new proposals to allow firms to actively discriminate in favour of female candidates  -  indeed, before the phrase 'positive discrimination' had even been coined. 

Smiling sweetly at me over her glass of wine, she [a friend] then added: 'All the whingeing that went on from women because they said they were being discriminated against, I just didn't get it. The truth was simply that they weren't good enough.' Her comment will infuriate women who feel they've smacked their heads repeatedly against a glass ceiling. In our politically correct times, it's taboo to suggest women lose out in the workplace simply because they aren't up to the job.  

I did get quite spectacularly fired once from my job as a fashion editor, and while I was away having a baby, too (in those days maternity leave was precisely six weeks). But you know what? It wasn't because I was away having a baby, it was because I was a not-very-good fashion editor. It was hard to admit at the time, but I got over it.  How many women today who lose their jobs on maternity leave would accept, as I did, that it's because they are not up to the role? Most would run to find a lawyer.  I also missed out on the most brilliant job on a newspaper about a year after that; and that was also because I had two small children. I couldn't face working late, night after night, at that stage in my life - which was part of the job description - and said so at the interview. I wouldn't have taken me on either.  I think this is an important factor: very few women are actually comfortable working 12-hour days while their children are very small. Most of us go for a softer option - but that's not because we face male oppression, it's because we want to be home for bathtime.

There has been a lot of similar whining from the sisterhood about the small number of women (still) in Parliament. Lots of excuses about the reason: a male-dominated culture, anti-family hours, no facilities for breastfeeding.  Well, I'm sorry, but what about the giantesses among female politicians: Barbara Castle, Shirley Williams and Thatcher?  And the resoundingly wonderful Bessie Braddock, 'Battling Bessie', for heaven's sake, who became a Labour MP for Liverpool in 1945, when feminism had certainly never been heard of.  These women just got on with it. Ann Widdecombe was singing from my song-sheet when she spoke of a Blair Babe complaining a few years ago about how rude men in the Commons were to her.  'It wasn't because she was a woman. It was because she was useless,' she said briskly.

Click here to read Penny Vincenzi's whole article in the Daily Mail.

Scotland's Equality and Human Rights Commissioner says phrase undermines fight against racism
13 May 2009

The long used phrase we're all Jock Tamson's bairns has been criticised by Scotland's Equality and Human Rights Commissioner, Morag Alexander.  She said, "It strikes me that too often we seek comfort in a Scottish consensus that we are all Jock Tamson’s bairns, ­ citizens of a fair and equal nation.  We have to be braver about the change that is required to make a fairer Scotland, and part of that means looking afresh at whether the consensus holds."  Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said, "It is a positive saying, so to criticise it is silly. If you start concentrating on things like that you are going to take time and effort away from fighting real racism.  Click here for the story in the Scottish Daily Express.

Campaign Against Political Correctness named in Parliament as only organisation opposing Equality Bill
13 May 2009

In a question put to the Prime Minister in today's Question Time, it was suggested that the Campaign Against Political Correctness was the only organisation opposing the new Equality Bill.  Whilst we are aware of other organisations and certainly lots of people opposing this new Equality Bill, it is certainly true that we oppose the Bill.  The reasons for this opposition are summarised quite clearly in Philip Davies MP's speech in the House of Commons on Monday (click here for the speech).  We completely support equality of opportunity but reject equality of outcome as a dangerous, nonsensical, unachievable objective which encourages racism and sexism (amongst other things) and constantly seeks to divide people into politically correct tickboxes rather than treat us as human beings.  

Equality Bill debated in Parliament
11 May 2009

The House of Commons debated the Equality Bill today when it had its second reading.  The Bill can be found here and seen below in all its 500 page glory.  Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, spoke against the Bill in the chamber of the House of Commons.  Others opposing the Bill in their speeches included Graham Brady MP.  Click here to read Philip's whole speech in Hansard (click the "next" section to read on).

In advance of the Bill, Minette Marrin wrote an excellent article in the Sunday Times, "I suspect many people don’t appreciate how hugely this [Equality Agenda] has all developed since the Macpherson report of 1999 into the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Post-Macpherson, according to the EHRC [Equality and Human Rights Commission], it was clear that a “radical rethink” was needed about the way the public sector approached discrimination.  That rethink was a great deal more radical than many of us have ever quite appreciated. A rejection of wrongful discrimination has somehow been transformed into a compulsory imposition of equality – an endless task, in any case, since it is quite impossible."  In another article she said, "Here we have a spectacle that is about as bad for women as it gets. Female politicians, many promoted above their ability, seek to promote another woman above her democratic entitlement and against their own principles and meanwhile legislate to promote working women over men. With supporters like Harman and her crew, we women do not need enemies. "

Click here for the full article in the Sunday Times.

Latest golly row breaks out in Suffolk
9 May 2009  

Another storm is brewing in Sudbury, Suffolk, following complaints about the sale of golly dolls in a shop called "Thing-Me-Bobs".  Hamil Clarke, chairman of the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality, said: "I would really like to complain that they should not be allowed to get away with it. On a scale of one to five of it being offensive I would say it is an eight. It is highly offensive. It is surprising the mentality of some people who do not know how offensive they can be."  However, Wendy Jee, the shop's store manager, said she thought the dolls were innocent fun. She thought it was "a shame" that "a few people" found them offensive.  She said: "There has been quite a high demand for the gollies since we sold out of them last time.  So many customers are coming in for them it is unbelievable. A lot of people had them in their childhood and now want them for their grandchildren."

As we have re-iterated so many times in this news section, this latest row will do nothing to help race relations and this is certainly not an issue where opinions are drawn along the lines of people's as some might think.

Click here for the full story in the Daily Telegraph.

UPDATE:  Yet again, sales of golliwogs have increased following this latest criticism - click here for the updated story in the East Anglian Daily Times.

MEPs sent guide to "Gender Neutral Language in the European Parliament" - UPDATE
2 April 2009

Roger Helmer MEP, Christopher Heaton-Harris MEP and Martin Callanan MEP have now tabled a written declaration calling for a new Parliamentary gender language guidance booklet to be withdrawn.

The guidance (mentioned in an earlier news story below) issued in the new 'Gender-Neutral Language' pamphlet states that the terms "Mrs" and "Miss" should be avoided.  The politically correct rules also mean a ban on continental titles, such as Madame and Mademoiselle, Frau and Fraulein and Senora and Senorita.  

Roger Helmer said that, according to the booklet, MEPs must say "flight attendant", not stewardess; "fire-fighter", not fireman; business executive, not businessman. They are asked not even to say "man-made", but to use "synthetic" or "artificial" instead.
 
He said that while the EU claims to celebrate diversity "it can't even recognise the difference between men and women."

Christopher Heaton-Harris said that a person's sex is fundamental to their sense of identity.  "It is an essential part of who they are, how they wish to be characterised, and how they relate to other people. This is just another example of political correctness gone mad in the European parliament.  It's time to make a stand for common sense," he said.

Councillor caught up in homophobia incident after light-hearted quip at a public meeting
30 March 2009

At a public meeting to discuss policing in Wolverhampton, participants were asked to use an electronic handsets to record their votes on different issues.  The first question was about their sex and they were asked to 'Press A if you're male or B if you're female.'  Someone then said: 'What if you're transgendered?' to which Councillor Jonathan Yardley said; 'You could press A and B together.' 

Unbeknown to Mr Yardley, the person who had asked the question was partner to a transgendered individual, also at the meeting, a complaint was made and, as a result, he was spoken to by police for his 'homophobic' remark.

Councillor Yardley said: 'They put me through the mill and asked me to confirm what I'd said and told me that a complaint had been made and I could be prosecuted.  I find it ridiculous you can get in trouble over an off-the-cuff remark, with no malice intended. I didn't even know there was a transgender person there.  There are much more important issues that the police should be spending their time on. These are the politically correct times we live in. You can't make jokes any more.'

Click here to read the full story in the Daily Mail and here to read Councillor Yardley's letter in the Daily Telegraph.

Sir David Jason in "racist" joke row
26 March 2009

In an interview on a radio programme, Sir David Jason was asked to leave a question for the next guest.  He replied: 'What do you call a Pakistani cloakroom attendant? Me hat, me coat.'  It is probably a play on words around the name of the Indian political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi.  A spokesman for Absolute Radio said there had been no complaints to the station from listeners, but the show's host Christian O'Connell would apologise on-air today. Some people were quick to call the joke racist.

John Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: 'David Jason is a national treasure.  What's the world coming to when someone is criticised for telling an innocent joke which is in no way offensive? Instead of being politically correct, people should grow up.'

Britain's first Muslim minister, Shahid Malik, who is of Pakistani origin, said he did not see the joke as racist. 'It really is a storm in a tea cup,' he said. 'I'm a big fan of David Jason. The only thing is he's let me down because it's not very funny.'

A spokesman for Sir David, one of Britain's best-loved actors, said: 'He's distressed that it upset people and is really sorry if it did. He made a joke which he thought was quite funny and he did not perceive it as a racist anymore than if it had been about an English person or a Scottish person.'  

As a Daily Mail reader said: 'If it was a Scottish Cloakroom attendant, and you called him Angus Me Coat Up, would that also have caused offence? I don't think so!"

Click here to read the full story in the Daily Mail and here to read an interesting piece by Lorne Jackson in the Sunday Mercury.

Boris Johnson announces various celebrations for St George's Day
23 March 2009

Boris Johnson plans a week-long St George's Day celebration this year and will fly the red and white flag from City Hall on April 23rd after saying that the capital had ignored the occasion for far too long.  He said: "St George’s Day has been ignored in London for far too long but I’m truly pleased to announce some fantastic events to mark this occasion".

John Midgley, co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said Mr Johnson’s plans were a victory for common sense. He said: “It’s a refreshing change that someone of authority has got the guts to celebrate England’s patron saint and all that goes with it, instead of marginalising St George’s Day in the name of political correctness.”

Click here for the story in the Daily Express and here for the story in the Daily Star.

Sri Lankan businessman and councillor tells customers to learn English and says that if he was white he would "end up in jail"
18 March 2009

Photo: Copyright Daily Mail

Deva Kumarasiri, who is a councillor and also runs a sub-post office inside a corner shop in Nottingham, has said that 'Nobody stands up for anything in Britain any more'. He says it's "the best country in the world as far as I'm concerned, but the great country I once called Great Britain has changed a lot since I came here. All I'm doing is telling people that if they want to live in Britain, be British.  Don't boo our soldiers when they come home from Iraq. Don't live your life without embracing our culture. Don't stay here without making any effort to learn the language. And if you don't want to be British, go home.  Our laws are written in English; our culture is chronicled in English. How can anybody understand that if they can't understand English?  I tell them if they don't speak the language and they can't be bothered to learn, then don't bother coming here. It's up to them whether they take any notice - but if they want to live here in Britain, they should take notice.  The fabric of the nation begins to unravel if we don't all speak the same language. You can't be wholly part of British culture if you don't speak the language.  When I left Sri Lanka I left behind that country's culture, customs and language. I have done my utmost ever since to be part of this country's culture. There are far too many people who come here and expect Britain to change to suit them.  White people can't say what I'm saying because they'd end up in jail.  I decided to make this stand because I think too many British people are afraid to talk out.'

Click here to read the article in the Nottingham Evening Post and here to read Amanda Platell's take on the issue in the Daily Mail.

UPDATE: Mr Kumarasiri has had difficulties with his work since this and appears to now no longer be working with the employment agency who were responsible for his job. The Gedling Liberal Democrat Leader has also said: "The views expressed go well beyond what we can accommodate.”

MEPs sent guide to "Gender Neutral Language in the European Parliament"
12 March 2009

A booklet called "Gender Neutral Language in the European Parliament" has been sent to MEPs giving them guidance on what terms they should and should not use.  West Midlands MEP, Philip Bradbourn, said, "The booklet, issued to all MEPS, instructs the use of gender neutral language in the European Parliament. Under the new ruling, MEPs who use the term ‘chairman’ when addressing a female chairman are likely to be brought to book and told to use the more politically correct terms, ‘chairperson’, ‘chair or ‘madam chair’.  It even goes as far as to suggest that when travelling on planes, MEPs should not use the term air hostess.  This politically correct nonsense has gone too far, is a waste of taxpayers’ money and an erosion of the English language as we know it.  I will have no part of it. I will continue to use my own language and expressions, which I have used all my life, and will not be instructed by this institution or anyone else in these matters. I find this publication offensive in the extreme. That I should be instructed on how to speak my own language and the terms to use in my work as an MEP is not only discourteous but also represents a gross intrusion into my personal freedom to express myself in a manner in which I feel appropriate in any given circumstance. The Parliament, by the publication of this document, is not only bringing itself as an Institution into more disrepute than it already suffers but is also showing that it has succumbed to the politically correct claptrap currently in vogue."

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness said, "These types of language guides are a colossal waste of time and money.  Many women could not care less what they are called.  In fact, in an ICM Opinion Poll, 79% of women said they were fed up with political correctness and with this sort of politically correct interfering it is easy to see why. Treating elected politicians like schoolchildren is thoroughly insulting and we commend Philip Bradbourn for opposing this Orwellian intervention."

Philip Davies MP stands up for men in Parliament in politically correct debate on women
5 March 2009

In a debate in the House of Commons today entitled "Support for Women (Economic Downturn)" to coincide with International Women's Day (!!!!), Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness made several interventions:

Philip Davies: As the right hon. and learned Lady points out, the debate is about supporting women and families through the downturn. Does she not agree that the Government’s duty is to support everybody through the downturn based on their need, irrespective of their gender, and that men should be given as much support as women if they need it? Is she saying that the need to support women is more important than the need to support single men, gay men or men with families?

Harriet Harman: I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman was listening, but I was just explaining that because women are the main family carers, because they are more likely to work part time, because they are more concentrated in some sectors of the economy than in others and because their work is vital to our public services, we need to ensure that we do not overlook the work of women, which has become even more important to our economy and public services over the past 10 years.

_______

Philip Davies: My right hon. Friend said that certain things give equality a bad name. Does she agree that one of those is the fact that the Equality and Human Rights Commission goes round lecturing all sorts of organisations about equality of pay and is given taxpayers’ money to make sure that everyone is paid equally, yet the same organisation, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, pays men more than women, non-disabled people more than disabled people, and white people more then ethnic minorities? Is that not rather hypocritical on the part of that organisation?

Theresa May: I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the point that he makes. The EHRC needs to look at its own practices, as does Government in some of those areas. As my hon. Friend the Member for Forest of Dean (Mr. Harper) pointed out in business questions, the disability pay gap in the Government is significant—in some Departments, such as the Home Office, rising above 40 per cent.

Minister announces plans for a review of unemployment by race
2 March 2009

Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell told Labour's Black Asian and Minority Ethnic annual general meeting in Leicester that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) will assess the impact of unemployment on ethnic minorities, women, the disabled and older workers and advise ministers on steps to take.  Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, Philip Davies MP, said: 'This is simply outrageous. The Government should be targeting support at all who need it.  The Government should be colour blind when it comes to looking who needs help. Doing otherwise will only entrench racism, as far as I'm concerned. The Government should be looking now to help the groups that have already been hit, like savers. This is the sort of thing that gives politics a bad name - ministers talking to different groups and telling them what they want to hear. It drives me to distraction.'

Click here to read the story in the Daily Mail.

MP criticises school for changing Romeo and Juliet to Romeo and Julian 
27 February 2009

Children at Leytonstone School in East London performed an adapted version of Romeo and Juliet - re-named Romeo and Julian.  In the alternative production, the infamous balcony scene features Romeo serenading his male lover with the words: 'Wherefore art thou Julian.'  Luke Burton, headteacher at Leytonstone School, described the children's efforts as 'inspirational'.  The production was yesterday criticised in the Commons by Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, who said that children should be learning the original work rather than a 'politically correct' version.  Mr Davies, who yesterday called for a Commons debate on political correctness, said: 'This is mind-blowing. Anyone with an ounce of sense would want their children to be learning Romeo and Juliet rather than Romeo and Julian.'  A spokesman for the Campaign against Political Correctness said: 'Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest works ever written. It is a play that every child should study.  It is very worrying that this literary masterpiece is being used for such a politically correct purpose.'  

Click here to read the exchange between Philip Davies and Harriet Harman in the House of Commons, here to read the story in the Daily Mail, here to read the piece in the Daily Star and here to read the coverage in The Times of India.

Hazel Blears criticises political correctness
25 February 2009

The Government's Communities Secretary has criticised political correctness in a series of interviews this week.  Her message is that she feels that political correctness has gone too far and details of her actual speech can be found here.  Although Hazel Blears has been part of a Government which has increased the amount of political correctness in this country (and even the day before launched a new race equality consultation) let's hope she can give some practical examples as to how she will play her part - and encourage the rest of the Government to follow suit - in reducing legislation and ultimately reducing political correctness.  Click here for an article in the Telegraph and Argus newspaper on the stance of Philip Davies, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness on this subject.

BT staff suspended over offensive Irish joke e-mail
23 February 2009

To see a collection of Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman jokes click here.

30 BT call centre staff have been suspended for forwarding on an e-mail containing an Irish joke. The e-mail was circulated around staff working at the BT call centre in Leicester - which employs 340 people - two weeks ago.  BT apparently then suspended every worker who had forwarded the joke to someone else and warned them that they face disciplinary action.  One suspended worker said: 'The joke was harmless fun and the sort of thing millions of office workers send to each other up and down the country.  I received it and forwarded it to a colleague without thinking about it.  The next thing I knew managers were demanding to look at my computer to see who I'd emailed the joke to. The fact I could now lose my job over this is really scary."  The quip involves the death of three Irishmen. The first leaps with a budgie thinking he's budgie-jumping; the second kills a parrot thinking he's parrot-shooting and the third leaps off with a hen, believing he's hen-gliding.  A BT spokesman said: 'A complaint was made about a joke which could be offensive to some people.  BT takes these matters seriously and will investigate any allegations.  We cannot comment on any investigation that may be taking place internally at the moment. These matters are treated in the strictest confidence.'

John Midgley, of the Campaign Against Political Correctness said: 'I sincerely hope that political correctness does not cost these people their jobs especially in the present economic climate.'  The Leicester Irish Society also defended the employees, claiming BT bosses had lost their sense of humour.  A spokesman said: 'The Irish are famous for their sense of humour but it appears BT have lost theirs. The English and Irish communities have a long history of taking the micky out of each other. 'The Irish probably have just as many, if not more jokes, about the English but they're all meant in good spirits. 'Suspending staff over a little joke is stupid and it would be funny if it wasn't so serious for the people whose jobs are on the line.'

Click here to read the story in the Daily Mail and here to read comedian Frank Carson's take on the incident.

Halifax Courier print piece on PC following outrageous article by one of their journalists
20 February 2009

Colin Drury said in a piece for the Halifax Courier: "But when they're [Prince Harry and Carol Thatcher] speaking on my time – one was working for the BBC even though she wasn't on air, the other was representing the British Army – I have a right to demand they don't offend millions of people. And, if they do, I have a right to demand they're reprimanded. That so many people have defended them is a shame on this country."

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "This is completely outrageous. It is a shame on this country that so many people have spent so much time attacking them when there are far more significant issues of global importance that could have been discussed.  It is a shame on this country that someone who is prepared to risk their life fighting for the freedom of others around the world is shown so little freedom at home.  It is a shame on this country that anyone could believe that those in the British Army do not deserve our complete respect and eternal gratitude rather than have someone disrespectfully saying that when they are doing this highly dangerous job they are "speaking on my time" when a private video is leaked.  In my opinion, Councillor Mohammed Iqbal, Derek Laud and all the people from "minority" groups who have signed up to our "Political Correctness: Not In My Name" campaign have done far more good for race relations with their comments than the so-called race relations lobby and articles like Colin Drury's have done in years."

Click here to read the full piece now.

Al Jolson musical is performed without authentic 'blacking up'
19 February 2009

The producer of the Al Jolson musical, due to open in Edinburgh next week, has decided that there will be no 'blacking up' of the character saying, "Blacking up is historically correct, but in this day and age we are not out to offend anyone. There is a reference to blacking up in the script, but we didn't feel it was necessary to include it within the show."  Allan Stewart, the actor starring in the production, said "I personally believe it should be in there, but even the slightest sign of negativity could be bad for the show."  

Richard Cook of the Campaign Against Political Correctness said the producers appeared to be trying so hard not to offend that they had sabotaged their own show. He said, "It's a case of the producers being oversensitive. Most people who attend an Al Jolson tribute will know his background but the show they are going to see will be incomplete in terms of its historical accuracy. The actor seems to understand the need for historical accuracy but the producers have overreacted to perceived sensitivities and have been left in a position where they can't go back on it."

Click here to read the story in the Daily Mail or here to read it in the Daily Telegraph.

MP calls again for debate on Political Correctness in Parliament
12 February 2009

Philip Davies, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, has again called for a debate in Parliament on the issue of Political Correctness.  The precise exchange which took place in the House of Commons on Thursday went like this:

Philip Davies: May we have a debate about free speech and political correctness? It is reported in the paper today that a man who worked at a warehouse has been sacked for displaying a Daily Star poster saying “British jobs for British workers”. Is it not ludicrous that anybody could lose their job for displaying such a slogan, or does the Leader of the House believe that anybody who uses that slogan should be sacked?

Harriet Harman: I am delighted that the hon. Gentleman urges me to have a debate about political correctness. The answer to that might be "yes", and I am sure that he will want to congratulate the leader of his party on insisting that a Tory candidate take down a nude pin-up that he was displaying in his office. I am sure that he agrees with his party leader about that.

Kent Police waste money on LGBT initiative 
11 February 2009

Kent Police are hosting a whole series of events to mark Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered History Month, including an essay-writing competition, a dinner dance and a quiz.

Condemning all the events, the Campaign Against Political Correctness said: 'Police can get very obsessed about this sort of thing.  To have even one event to mark the month would be bad enough but to have a whole series is a waste of police time and resources. I am sure the people of Kent would have different priorities if they were asked how the money should be spent.'

Ann Widdecombe MP said: 'I would have thought the police had other things to worry about, like catching burglars. Why don't they get kids to write an essay on combating crime? It strikes me as an extraordinary waste of police resources.'

Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail.

Virgin advert called "sexist"
10 February 2009

A television advert in which airport crowds eye a group of stewardesses has been criticised as sexist.  Some viewers across Britain lodged complaints about the ad, designed to celebrate Virgin Atlantic’s 25th anniversary.  But Philip Davies, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said, “Anybody who’s complained about it seems to me to have too much time on their hands. Some people in this country are humourless – it’s completely ridiculous. If people are upset by it they shouldn’t fly with Virgin. But don’t waste the Advertising Standard Agency’s time by asking them to investigate.  We are going to get to a stage where people will never want to do anything in case some humourless soul takes offence.  It’s a very sad reflection on the state of Britain.” 

The Advertising Standards Authority received 29 complaints about the £6million advert. Some said it was “insulting to women”.  Complainers believed using gorgeous stewardesses to encourage male viewers to fly Virgin is sexist.

But a spokeswoman for the ASA said: “We won’t be following these complaints up as we feel the advert has not breached the advertising code.”

A Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman said: “We think the ASA was right to dismiss these complaints. Our advert has been received brilliantly by viewers across the world and we’ve had lots of messages of support for it on the website.”

MP calls for debate on political correctness
5 February 2009

Sir Patrick Cormack MP called for a debate on political correctness in the House of Commons citing the two recent cases of the well publicised Carol Thatcher incident and also the nurse suspended for offering to pray for one of her patients.  The exchange with Harriet Harman was as follows:

Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire) (Con): In a week when a devoted community nurse was suspended from her duties for wanting to pray for one of her patients and then the BBC, which is even more misguided than that nurse’s health authority, dismissed an eminent broadcaster for a remark made in the green room, while retaining the odious Jonathan Ross on £6 million a year, is it not time that we had a debate on the utter absurdities of political correctness?

Ms Harman: On the question of the nurse, whose case was reported in the newspapers, the matter is, I presume, a disciplinary issue for her employers. On the BBC, whether or not material is offensive is a question for trustees of the BBC.

Click here to see the exchange on the House of Commons Hansard.

Carol Thatcher loses work at The One Show after saying that a tennis player reminds her of a Robertson's jam golliwog
4 February 2009

Carol Thatcher observed that a tennis player reminded her of the golliwog used on the Robertson's jam jars and she will now no longer receive commissions from The One Show as a result it appears. 

For simply making an observation based on a fact and then following it up with this statement from her spokesman she appears to have been denied future work with the programme - "Carol never intended any racist comment. She made a light aside about this tennis player and his similarity to the golliwog on the jam pot when she was growing up. There’s no way, obviously, that she would condone any racist comment — we would refute that entirely. It would not be in her nature to do anything like that.”

A black caller to the BBC 5 Live programme said, "I am not offended, I am really outraged. People are trying to make black people victimised and I don't feel offended at all.  I am on eBay now buying golliwogs for all my friends.  What is so outrageous is that this dilutes the whole argument - we end up concentrating on absurd ridiculous throw away remarks and not real problems.  When I heard the comments, a certain tennis player popped into my head as being the one she was referring to - does this make me racist?"

Derek Laud, former Big Brother contestant said, "Branding Carol Thatcher a racist is like calling Jesus Christ the Devil. It is simply not true. To use the word golliwog is to describe a doll that wore bright clothes, had a black face and fuzzy hair. That is descriptive – it’s not racist. I am black and my own nickname is Golly. My friends of many years standing use it affectionately and I sometimes use it as my signature. You know perfectly well when someone’s intending it to be derogatory. Everything has to be in context."

The Commission for Racial Equality also said in 2007 that the question of whether golliwogs were considered racist depended on the context in which they were displayed.  It simply said, "Some people might find them offensive, some people might not".

Nelson Mandela also came to the aid of a councillor who had "blacked up" for a fancy dress party the same year saying, "We should try not to read racism into actions which may be completely innocent."

John Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said, "It is quite clear that if someone was shouting abuse at someone else and the word golliwog was mentioned this would be deplorable behaviour - because the shouting and manner would be unacceptable rather than simply the use of the word golliwog.  We have to remember that context is key.  Some people say that the golliwog has been hijacked by racists and therefore it is unacceptable - full stop.  On this basis we would have ditched the Union Flag a long time ago because it too had been hijacked.  Whilst some racists may use golliwogs and Union Jacks, it has to be understood that the vast majority of people do not fall into this category.  However, the constant attack on what these people perceive to be innocent childhood toys or the flag of their country might just force them to start being less tolerant and less understanding in other areas which is the last thing we want to happen as this would harm good race relations in the UK." 

On the history of the golliwog, the following is often quoted from the original book:  "Then all look round, as well they may, To see a horrid sight!, The blackest gnome, Stands there alone, They scatter in their fright."

What people don't quote are the following verses when the other characters have recovered from their initial shock and actually become dear friends of the golliwog and end up saving his life when he falls in the icy water: 

With kindly smile he nearer draws; Begs them to feel no fear. "What is your name?", Cries Sarah Jane; "The 'Golliwogg' my dear."  

Their fears allayed-each takes an arm, While up and down they walk; With sidelong glance, Each tries her chance, And charms him with "small talk".  

While "Golliwogg" with cautious steps, Toward the middle skates; They hear a crack! They cry, "come back, To your devoted mates!"

Too late! alas their call is vain! He swiftly disappears! His kind forethought, Is dearly bought, It melts them unto tears.

To read the whole book and see all the illustrations online just click here.

Campaign Against Political Correctness Parliamentary Spokesman presents "Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill" to Parliament
21 January 2009

Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, used his position on the list of MPs chosen in the Private Members Bill ballot to introduce his "Equality and Diversity (Reform) Bill" to Parliament.  He is supported by David Davis MP, Ann Widdecombe MP, Peter Lilley MP, John Whittingdale MP, David Heathcoat-Amory MP, Greg Knight MP, Graham Brady MP, Ann Winterton MP, Christopher Chope MP and Sir Nicholas Winterton MP and the Bill is to prohibit the use of affirmative and positive action in recruitment and appointment processes; to repeal the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act 2002; and for connected purposes.

Derek Laud attacks political correctness and discusses racism
18 January 2009

Photo © Derek Laud - DerekLaud.com

In an article in The Independent, Derek Laud gives his views on political correctness and racism making some excellent points.  Some extracts from the article are set out below:

"A racist uses stereotypes to abuse or deride. I do not believe Prince Harry – revealed last week as having referred to a fellow soldier as a "Paki" – is a racist."

"When I was a boy, I'm ashamed to say, we regularly used the word "Paki" pejoratively if Mr Patel in the corner shop would not sell us fags. My own nickname is "Golly", partly because of my collection of gollies, collected from the old Robertson's jam labels."

"Nonetheless, I should be grateful to those who seek to minimise offence. Once, in 1990, when involved with Mrs Thatcher's leadership campaign, I mentioned to the prime minister that I had been "working like a black". She glared at me. "Derek, we work like Trojans, and talk about 'flies in the ointment'," she explained."

"In my view, satire can improve race relations. Getting worked up by trivial examples of "technical" racism like Prince Harry's detracts from the real point. It is too easy to remove visible symbols of racism without altering the submerged reality.  For example, David Cameron has attempted to change the Tories' image by selecting a handful of ethnic minority candidates with little or no history in the party, precious little political nous and distinguished only by their capacity to conform. These are the real "Uncle Toms", preferred by their pigmentation rather than their principles. What could be more of a racist joke than that?"

Click here for his full article in The Independent.

Prison officers given language guides for use in Scottish prisons
19 January 2009

A document called "Plain Talking: What We Say Can Hurt People", published by the Scottish Prison Service and Capability Scotland, has been issued to stamp out “hurtful” language that could “reinforce negative attitudes”.  Warders have been warned they must not refer to inmates as “mental” or call them a “daftie”, a “psycho” or a “nutter”. They have been told that correct term is a “person with mental health issues” or a “person with a learning difficulty”.

Click here for the article in The Sunday Times.

eBay bans sale of "Escape from Colditz" game as swastika is shown on front of the box
16 January 2009

A man trying to sell a collectable 1970s children's board game - Escape from Colditz - on eBay was told that he would not be able to auction the game unless he covered the swastika up as the sign was “hateful and discriminatory” and breached their race rules.  This falls into the "re-writing of history" category of political correctness and again context is key!  

Click here for the story as reported in The Sun.

The Prince Harry affair....
13 January 2009

The statement continued: "Prince Harry used the term 'raghead' to mean Taleban or Iraqi insurgent."

Click here for an excellent piece by Andrew Alexander, here from one by Richard Littlejohn, here for a column on the subject by Allison Pearson and here a piece by Bernard Dineen in the Yorkshire Post - there is not much left to add!

Police's concerns about gipsy site deemed to be racist and are not, therefore, considered by Council
10 January 2009

Police in Bedfordshire joined local residents in objecting to a planning application for a gipsy/traveller site only to be told by officials that

The letter sent on behalf of the police by Chief Superintendent Andy Street reported that over the two-year period to January 2008, officers had visited the three existing gipsy sites a total of 210 times to deal with reports of fights, arson, assaults, stolen vehicles, violent disorder, anti-social behaviour, theft, child abduction and use of weapons. One site was visited 109 times.  He went on to say, "The numbers, and nature, of incidents are not atypical for traveller sites. The likelihood of such sites causing problems for those living in close proximity is highly probable."

The decision by the Council not to allow the police's objections to be heard as they were deemed to be racist meant that councillors considering the planning application were not made aware of the police's deep concerns before making a decision.  

Diversity Awareness courses at hotel cost taxpayer £1,755 per head
6 January 2009

Diversity courses for many civil servants - including

Mark Wallace, Campaign Director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'No wonder public services are struggling and Government departments are so inefficient if civil servants' heads are being stuffed with politically-correct gobbledegook.  'It is perverse that whilst people in the private sector lose their jobs and struggle to pay essential bills, public bodies are lavishing such huge amounts on irrelevant diversity training.'

Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail.

School re-named "A Place for Learning" 
3 January 2009

Headmistress, Linda Kingdon, of Watercliffe Meadow School in Sheffield said, "We decided we didn’t want to use the word ‘school’.  One reason was many parents of children here had very negative connotations of school.  Instead we want this to be a place for family learning.  There are no bells or locked doors. We wanted to de-institutionalise the place and bring the school closer to real life.”

Yet again, Equality bodies guilty of discrepancies
4 December 2008

Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, uncovered through a Parliamentary Question that the Equality and Human Rights Commission has its own pay gap and yet they are going to be responsible for looking into company pay gaps in the future.  The Commission was forced to admit that it pays men more than women, white employees more than ethnic minority employees and able bodied staff more than disabled staff.  Philip Davies said, "What on earth is the point of a politically correct organisation like that, that is given huge quantities of taxpayers money to go lecturing round the country to organisations about equal pay when they don't even practice what they preach themselves?"

Click here to see the question as it appears in the House of Commons Hansard, below to watch it and here to read the full story in the Daily Mail.

Nativity play "delayed" until the New Year due to Eid
4 December 2008

A Nottingham school wrote to parents telling them that the annual nativity play had been cancelled "due to the Eid celebrations that take place next week and its effect on our performers".  They later said, "The Christmas performance has not been cancelled outright but has been postponed until the New Year."  Parents at the school were obviously dismayed to hear this and could not see how the Christmas play could be performed in the New Year.

Sajad Hussain, 35, of who has two children at the school said: "It's not that complicated; they could have one event on one day and another on another day, they should have both celebrations at the school.  If you do not have both it becomes a racist thing and that's why you have to be careful if an issue is made out of it it could become nasty."  Another Muslim parent, Mia, from a different area said, "We are Muslims but my daughter is going to play a part in the nativity play at her nursery, I can't see what the fuss is all about. We bought a Christmas tree this year and we are going to celebrate both occasions, why do you want to confuse your kids with religious issues?  Let them enjoy the festive season like all the kids in the country. Why do you want them to feel like the odd one out of the crowd?  To be part of the UK society, you need to make an effort to mingle with the society and you can do that without it affecting your beliefs.  UK isn't a Muslim country, end of the story."

Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail.

Council threatens to delay payment to small businesses until they fill in an ethnic monitoring questionnaire
21 November 2008

A letter was sent to businesses by Waltham Forest Council telling them that they risked payment for their work being delayed if they did not complete a form giving the Council information on the ethnic origin and sex of their staff. Once this came to light, Cllr Keith Rayner, the authority's cabinet member for finance, said: "This request for information was, in fact, to help the council ensure we are neither excluding nor failing to support any sections of our community.  However, threatening non-payment is clearly not the way to go about this. I would like to apologise unreservedly for this.."  Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "This is absolutely outrageous.  Bullying people into conforming to nonsensical, irrelevant form filling - especially in the current economic climate - is completely unacceptable.  Yet again, this just shows how meaningless tick box political correctness wastes both time and money."

Click here for the full story in the Waltham Forest Guardian.

Doormats in Hampshire deemed to be a "health and safety risk"
17 November 2008

Residents with doormats in a block of flats in Gosport have been told to remove the mats or face being taken to court by the local council. However, Tom Mullarkey, chief executive of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, spoke out against the decision saying, "The application of common sense and balance is much more reasonable than the seeking of mindless increments towards absolute safety." 

Click here to read the full story in the Daily Mail.

Equalities super-body pays men more than women, white staff more than BME staff and able-bodied staff more than disabled staff
13 November 2008

It has been revealed that the Equality and Human Rights Commission has got its own "Pay Gap".  Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, forced the Government to admit this was the case by tabling a Parliamentary Question as follows:

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what average salary was paid by the Equality and Human Rights Commission to its (a) male, (b) female, (c) white, (d) black and minority ethnic (e) disabled and (f) non-disabled employees in the last period for which figures are available. [232794]

Maria Eagle: The current average salaries for staff in each group are as follows:

Click here to read the whole question in Hansard.

Philip Davies said, "Given that this organisation is always banging on about the faults of employers, it is astonishing to find that it is paying men more than women.  To lecture everybody else about doing something they can't do themselves is hypocrisy beyond belief."

Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said, "This revelation is so ironic - on this basis having the EHRC in charge of equality is as ridiculous as putting Gordon Ramsay in charge of an anti-swearing campaign.  This constant obsession with equal outcomes - which are neither desirable nor achievable - takes away the focus from the really important issue which is equal opportunities."

UPDATE:  Philip Davies raised this issue again in the chamber of the House of Commons during Business Questions and received a bland and unhelpful answer from Harriet Harman as set out below:

Philip Davies: May we have a debate on the Equality and Human Rights Commission? A recent answer to a parliamentary question that I tabled showed that, on average, the commission pays men more than women, white people more than those from ethnic minorities, and non-disabled people more than disabled people. What on earth is the point of a politically correct organisation—it is given huge quantities of taxpayer’s money to give lectures around the country on equal pay —that does not even practise what it preaches?

Ms Harman: The hon. Gentleman shows how important it is to have transparency. We must ensure that all organisations publish information about pay gaps between genders and ethnicities, and about how many disabled people they employ. That is not just important for the EHRC, because we need that transparency in the whole public sector—and in the private sector too.

Click here for official record of the exchange in the House of Commons' Hansard.

"Britishness" could be an offensive term, says Council
12 November 2008

In advice presented to 9,000 staff at Caerphilly Council in South Wales about equality, some tips are offered on communicating with the public.  The term was said to offer a “false sense of unity” and could upset those from Scotland, Wales and Ireland as well as members of ethnic minorities.  However, the document was criticised by Welsh rugby player Gareth Edwards who said, “This is political correctness gone absolutely mad.  I’m very proud to be Welsh and if anybody asks me where I’m from, I’ll say Wales.  But I’m also British and I’ve played for the British Lions and I’m very proud of that as well. I have no issue with being called British.”

Falklands veteran Simon Weston, who was born in Caerphilly, said: “I am proud to call myself a British Welshman.  I just do not know what is going on with Caerphilly Council but guidelines like this are simply ludicrous. Since when was calling someone British offensive? We are British, that is the simple fact of the matter and whatever is done to try to break us up we have survived."

Click here for the full story in the Daily Express.

ITV sports commentator apologies after using common javelin expression
11 November 2008

The Equality and Human Rights Commission said, "'Words could be taken out of context - it's not part of our remit to police language unless it falls under incitement legislation.  We do not have a handbook of things you can and can't say."

Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail.

Shopkeeper receives hate mail for selling golliwog dolls
6 November 2008

Photo: BNPS, Daily Telegraph

Viv Endecott was forced to call police after receiving anonymous hate mail through her door for selling golliwogs in her shop in Dorset.  Viv Endecott has vowed to continue to sell the dolls alongside the Blyton books, teddy bears and bottles of ginger beer saying, "Around here it is accepted that a golliwog is a soft toy associated with Enid Blyton. I genuinely think most people don't associate them with black people."

Click here for the story in the Dorset Echo and here for the story in the Daily Telegraph.

New language guide warns of "offensive" words and phrases - like "Master copy" and "Patient"
28 October 2008

The British Sociological Association has issued language guides giving apparently non-sexist, non-racist, non-disablist terms which they say should be used to avoid causing offence.  In the lists of "offensive" words they mention:

"Master copy" - which should be replaced with "Top copy" or "Original"

"Masterful" - which should be replaced with "Domineering" or "Very skilful"

"Man-made" - which should be replaced with "Synthetic"

"Old masters" - which should be replaced with "Classic art"

"Patient" - which should be replaced with "Person"

"Mentally ill" - which should be replaced with "Mental health service user"

"Able bodied person" - which should be replaced with "Non-disabled person"

Click here to see the full guides on the BSA's website.

MP says that Black Police Association should be scrapped in Business Questions in Parliament
28 October 2008

Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness, asked for a debate in Parliament on the Black Police Association saying he could not see the moral or legal difference between a Black Police Association and a White Police Association and called for the Black Police Association to be scrapped.

The video of this exchange with Harriet Harman MP is below.

Men's toilets re-named "Toilets with urinals" to fit with new trans-gendered policy at Manchester University
1 October 2008

A sign reading 'Toilets with urinals' was placed over the traditional 'stick man' symbol while a 'Toilets' sign replaced the women's graphic at Manchester University.  However, the decision was criticised by female students at the University who said, 'Girls might not want to use the same toilets as boys, so then you just end up with people complaining about that - so you can't really win' and ‘I personally wouldn't want to be in the same toilet as a man."  Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail.

Dennis the Menace was "toned down" to avoid accusations of "gay-bashing"
15 September 2008

A long-running Beano editor has disclosed that the 70-year-old comic had to be significantly changed so as not to offend modern-day sensibilities.  Euan Kerr said that he stopped Dennis from menacing fellow character Walter the Softy because of fears that his behaviour appeared to endorse the violent bullying of homosexuals. But the DC Thomson veteran now feels the pendulum has swung too far in favour of political correctness and hopes there will be a return to the comic's anti-establishment roots.  He said: "I definitely felt a sense of responsibility in making sure the characters did nothing that was easily imitable. The evidence is that the kids understand a comic is a comic and that it isn't anything like real life.  But the relationship between Dennis and Walter was always one that worried me. There were accusations from certain quarters that it was a little like gay-bashing. This obviously wasn't the way we intended it to be perceived."

John Midgley, of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, was dumbfounded by the idea of the Beano fuelling anti-gay sentiment. He said: "For 70 years the Beano has been read by children and they do not look at comics through politically correct eyes.  It's a great shame that in recent years this national institution has been watered down to placate a tiny minority of humourless, do-gooding adults."

Matthew Jarron, the curator of a hugely successful Beano exhibition at Dundee University, claimed the decision to tone down the spike-haired menace's behaviour was "daft". He said: "I'd be absolutely amazed if any child ever interpreted Dennis's behaviour towards Walter and the softies as gay-bashing.

"The softies had their own strange way of life where they liked skipping and picking flowers and doing very girly things. I'm sure it was never intended by the writers - and I'm sure it was never picked up by the children - that this could somehow be linked to homosexuality."

Click here for the story in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper and here for the story in The Times.

"Manning the phones" and "man on the street" deemed to be sexist phrases by council
26 August 2008

Chichester District Council in West Sussex has issued a language guide banning traditional phrases like “man on the street”.  The guide believes that this phrase causes offence to women because it is based on the assumption that the world is male and makes the views or work of women invisible.  Staff and members of the district council have been told that they should instead talk about “the general public”.  According to officials who produced the guide, it is a positive and less offensive alternative.  Also out is the commonly used term “manning the switchboard”, which is condemned as sexist.  They insist “staffing” or “running the switchboard” must be used instead.  John Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness said, "Yet again we find another local council acting in a patronising and politically correct manner.  Surely they should trust people in their jobs instead of wanting to abandon common or garden phrase".  Ann Widdecombe MP said, "As a grumpy old woman I think the man on the Clapham omnibus won’t care tuppence.”

Click here for the story in the Daily Express.

Cakes are destroyed instead of being eaten in the name of health and safety
25 August 2008

The Scottish Women's Rural Institute have banned the consumption of cakes and scones entered in competitions, insisting that all baked goods are destroyed immediately following judging.  An EU directive which states that food produced for display purposes, containing fresh ingredients such as eggs, butter and cream, should not be eaten to avoid possible food poisoning outbreaks and has been enshrined in law as part of the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations. 

Click here to see the story in The Times and here to read a piece on this with many more examples of PC in the Scottish Daily Record.

Police refuse to accept application from student who spent 18 months in Australia citing "fairness" to non-British applicants
23 August 2008

A student who had always planned to join the police has been refused a job because she spent 18 months working abroad.  Samantha Sheldon, 23, returned home to Astley, near Leigh, in May and applied to Greater Manchester Police for a civilian job as a project assistant as the force was not currently recruiting for police officers.  However, she was told that because of Home Office and Greater Manchester Police vetting policy, she could not be considered because of 'non-discrimination and fairness' rules despite having done work experience with the force when she was 16. It said: "In all cases, non-British applicants must have resided within the UK for a three-year period immediately prior to their vetting application for a non-police personal vetting clearance.  To ensure that vetting is carried out in a fair and non-discriminatory way, the residency requirement also applies to UK residents who have been absent for an extended period during the preceding three years."

Click here for the story in the Manchester Evening News.

ITV boss attacks tick box culture in TV
23 August 2008

Giving the annual MacTaggart lecture at the Edinburgh Television Festival Peter Fincham warned that a PC 'box ticking' mentality was in danger of suffocating much-loved entertainment programmes and threatening to make TV a joyless experience.

The executive also accused Ofcom of imagining 'television as a form of social engineering' and not living in the real world.

He said, 'Television is a creative medium: it needs to be free to be creative.  Its unique power lies in its popularity and, although I have great respect for those who regulate it, the medicine they are ministering may be as likely to kill it as cure it.  It is not a branch of the education service. Wrap it up in the woolly words of political correctness and the short-term illusion of warmth will soon give way to the reality of suffocation.'

Click here for the story in the Daily Mail.

Church pulpit identified as "dangerous"
10 August 2008

A church in the Wyke Regis area of Weymouth, Dorset, which dates from 1172 has been forced to draw up guidelines for preachers who might be injured while climbing the seven spiral stone steps to the pulpit.  Despite there being no record of any injured clergy, council officials warned that the pulpit was ‘dangerous’ and suggested the addition of a handrail.  Click here for the story in the Daily Mail.

Mr T Snickers ad cancelled after human rights group complains of homophobia
28 July 2008

A chocolate bar advertisement featuring Mr T (who played BA Baracus in the popular 1980s show The A Team) has been taken off the air after it was accused of being ‘homophobic’. In the Snickers commercial, Mr T pulls up in a truck alongside a man exercising in tight yellow shorts and shouts: ‘Speed walking. I pity you fool. You are a disgrace to the man race. It’s time to run like a real man.’  The U.S. lobby group Human Rights Campaign criticised Mars – which makes Snickers – for condoning ‘the notion that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is a group of second class citizens and that violence against GLBT people is not only acceptable but humorous’.  A spokesman for Mars said: ‘This ad is the second in a series of UK Snickers ads featuring Mr T, which are meant to be fun and have been positively received in the UK .  However, we understand that humour is highly subjective, and it is never our intention to cause offence. Accordingly, we have pulled the Mr T speedwalker ad globally.’  The move was roundly condemned by gay people in the UK with the following comments on the complaint:  

'I'm gay and I found the ad hilarious. If you make the connection speed walking and homosexuality then you just perpetuating the stereotypes about gay men.'

'As a (British) gay man myself, I am fed up with the ultra-politically correct stance of organisations [such as yours] seeking out homophobia in places where none clearly exists."

'Your entire approach actually damages the efforts of those of us who live in the real world to make any kind of headway in the fight against real homophobia - you know, the one that's responsible for people being kicked unconscious outside nightclubs, or driven to suicide through bullying.'

'Why people haven't anything better to do in their life than sending complaint emails?'

Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail and here for Lucy Mangan's take in the Guardian.

Officer who referred to "Black Man's Wheels" demoted
28 July 2008

A senior police officer has been demoted for referring to a little model BMW presented to him as a leaving present as "Black Man's Wheels".  Chris Pretty, who had previously headed a very successful unit dealing with black on black crime and had also been an army captain, was forced to endure a misconduct panel and was subsequently demoted from Superintendent to Chief Inspector after 2 officers at the party complained that he had made "racist" comments.  Click here for the full story in the Daily Mail.

Scotland's athletic body says runners should not use ipods on tracks as they are "potentially dangerous"
27 July 2008

The new list of "Track Etiquette" has been drawn up and adopted by Scottish Athletics, the national governing body for track and field events.  It provides a point-by-point guide to basic rules which must be adhered to and states: "Don't use headphones or your mobile phone on the track or infield. This is potentially dangerous and may stop you from hearing other track users or safety announcements. Treat the track and infield like you would a road. Look both ways and make sure it is safe to cross at all times."  It also warns: "The steeplechase water jump is not a swimming pool and the jumps pit is not a beach. Similarly, the high jump and pole vault mats are for landing on, not for resting or playing."  Co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness Laura Midgley said the code could be counter-productive.  She said: "This is yet another example of the nanny state edging its way into our lives. People are quite capable of using their commonsense and don't need a Green Cross Code to realise there might be runners on a running track.  I much prefer exercising to music. Music spurs you on and helps keep you going and if you prevent people from doing as much exercise as possible then you are ignoring the "Health" element of the phrase "Health and Safety" which is so often the case.  Earlier this year Radcliffe revealed that she listens to the American R&B star Kanye West when she is training.

Click here for the full story in Scotland on Sunday.

The Association of Chief Police Officers issues new rules on the use of police dogs to avoid "causing offence"
22 July 2008

The police officer in charge of overseeing new guidelines being issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) on the use of police dogs has said that the police need to take steps to "avoid offending people". He went on to say "This might include different categories of people such as those with a fear of dogs, for example, or asthma sufferers who may be sensitive of dog hair".  Many ordinary police officers were, however, concerned that this would not only make their jobs even more difficult but could lead to expensive compensation claims.  PC Mike Dermody, a former handler with Greater Manchester Police, said:" I have never encountered an incident when we have offended someone" and a police sergeant said, "The whole point of police dogs is to frighten people rigid, at least those who have just committed a crime and would otherwise make a clean getaway."  Click below for the full story in the Express.

Don't say "chav" as it is a highly offensive and dangerous term says the Fabian Society
19 July 2008

Tom Hampton, editorial director of the Fabian Society, says the word chav is "sneering and patronising and – perhaps most dangerous – it is distancing, turning the 'chav' into the kind of feral beast that exists only in tabloid headlines".  He says that far from being a means of describing someone's fashion sense and attitude he believes it "betrays a deep and revealing level of class hatred" and that it is "middle class hatred of the white working class, pure and simple."  Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: "I've heard the argument that this is a voiceless group we're offending and they need to be protected. Well I can think of plenty of groups of people who are voiceless but I don't think chavs are among them.  There are words that are really socially unacceptable and offensive, but I don't think chav is the worst thing you can call someone and I've honestly never heard anyone complain about being called a chav. In fact, a lot of people seem to want to be one. It's like being part of a gang.  Also, what about calling someone a toff? Isn't that offensive? Shouldn't that be banned too, on the grounds it's singling out someone because of their class?"  Click here for the full story in The Scotsman or here for the story on ABC News.

Guardian contributor's challenge to those who are PC
19 July 2008

In a departure from tradition, The Guardian have published an article by Ally Fogg on 19 July 2008 which actually opposes political correctness.  Click here to read the article on The Guardian's website.

Ban on football competition results being published causes outrage
17 July 2008

An FA decision to ban junior leagues from publishing the results of their matches as well as tables could have a negative effect on the future of the national game according to football managers.  Andy Clayton, who runs the Alvechurch Lions' Under-9s team in Redditch, said it was a shame the governing body had taken the decision, adding it would not be something done in other countries.  He said: "The first aim of Alvechurch Lions is the development of young players.  It is not the attitude of the club to win at all costs, but it is important that youngsters learn to lose as well as win.  I think maybe it's too politically correct and it certainly wouldn't be something done in, say, Australia."  The new rules will come into force in September for teams with players under eight.  It is hoped it will prevent young players being put under too much pressure at such an early age.  But Andy said competition was part of life and was introduced to children in other areas.  "Life is competitive and it's no different from when children start school and they are put in groups for reading and writing," he added.  He also said he thought taking away the competitive edge from youngsters could in time have a bad impact on the performance of national sides.  If the emphasis is placed too much on just taking part, then he said it could erode the winning mentality that national sides needed in order to be successful.  Under-8s teams will also be prevented from competing in knock-out football tournaments where cups and medals are handed out to winners.

To read the whole article in the Redditch Standard click here.

Philip Davies MP questions BBC over its diversity targets
15 July 2008

From the newly released minutes of the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee you can see the exchanges between Philip Davies MP (Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness and Michael Lyons (BBC Chairman) and Mark Thompson (Director General of the BBC).

Philip Davies:  Following on about reach and Anthony Jay’s article, I have noticed in your Report that you have got a triumphant section on diversity where you proudly announce that the number of ethnic minority staff has gone up from 9.9% to 10.9% in the last two years and the number of disabled staff has gone up from 2.8% to 4.7%.  Is this a conscious policy of the BBC?

Sir Michael Lyons:  It has to be, does it not?  Can I take us back to the need to serve all audiences and some of the discussion about those communities which we are not yet serving adequately.  Certainly the view of the Trust is that we will make faster progress in responding to the needs of different communities if those communities are appropriately reflected amongst the workforce of the BBC, so it is an aspiration and this is something to celebrate.

Philip Davies:  What is the aspiration then?  What percentage is the aspiration for the BBC?  At what point will the BBC say we now have got a sufficient amount of people from ethnic minorities and disability on our books? 

Sir Michael Lyons:  Of course this is not a static target, although Mark and Zarin might want to talk more about the targets that are set here, it is a dynamic situation, not only in terms of the changing complexion of the UK population but of course it will also be shaped by the BBC’s intention to have more of its activity based outside London. 

Mr Thompson:  I think it is also worth saying that what diversity is about is trying to draw on the talents from every part of the society that the BBC serves and to try to reflect the lives and concerns of people from all sections of the community we serve, and ethnicity is important but it is only one part of that story, so in other words different parts of the United Kingdom, different groups in terms of age, ethnicity, faith, and so on, and how we employ people and the balance of people we employ is one lever.  It is something that people pay a lot of attention to, I understand that, but it is only part of the story of trying to make sure that the BBC is reflecting the modern UK, modern Britain.  I would be the first person to say we are not there yet and I think the BBC has to ask itself constantly whether or not it is really reflecting the people to whom it is broadcasting.  For example, one of the things we are doing is moving a significant proportion of the BBC out of London.  We are trying to boost investment in network television production and other forms of production in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  We are building a big new broadcast centre in Salford, in the north of England.  This is all part of trying to get closer to the whole UK and also to try and draw on all of the talents in a way which I think will leave the BBC with better programmes.  What it must not be about is a politically correct determination to hit any one target against one measure.

Philip Davies:  That is clearly what it is because you just said how important that it was a focus of the BBC to increase numbers.  In your section on diversity it only mentions about black and minority ethnic proportion and disabled; it does not mention any of the other stuff that you have been banging on about in this section on diversity.  It seems to me that the proportions are above the population as a whole already before you have even started to increase them. Dr Samir Shah, one of your directors said recently that “the Corporation’s new arrangements about diversity means that there are now disproportionate numbers of ethnic minorities on our BBC screens”, so is this not really all about political correctness rather than reflecting the country as a whole?

Sir Michael Lyons:  I would want to say that Samir Shah’s views are his own and he would be best interrogated on those on another occasion.  In terms of the work the BBC Trust has been doing, there are still concerns in the different minority communities about the extent to which they are appropriately reflected in the BBC’s output, as indeed there are for the wider communities outside of London and the South East. 

Mr Thompson:  Although it is true we have mentioned people from different experiences, backgrounds and opinions - it mentions women and gender therefore as well as ethnicity and disability - when we develop our plans in this we try and focus on diversity of every kind.  Just to reassure you when we are casting and when we are thinking about on-screen talent, the quality and talent of the people we employ is the most important thing and we do not go for artificial targets.  Although it is an important debate, and I welcome Samir’s contribution to the debate, I do not agree with Samir that there is a political correctness bias in the way we cast nor, I have to say, are we getting complaints from the public there is such a bias.

Philip Davies:  Are all jobs given on merit irrespective of people’s race, sex, religion or background?  Can you give that categorical assurance?

Mr Thompson: Yes.

This is not the Campaign's experience of the selection process and certainly something we will be monitoring closely in the future!  Click here for the story in the Daily Mail about the meeting and it is interesting to note their journalist's observations on the final question as follows: "He might believe this but I personally know it not to be true. Oh well."

Muslim body attacks call for Sharia law in Britain
10 July 2008

Philip Davies (Shipley) in Parliament in Business Questions in the House of Commons: May we have a debate on the Lord Chief Justice’s politically correct comments on sharia law, particularly in relation to today’s comments from the Centre for Islamic Pluralism? It states:

The Lord Chief Justice’s comments have done an awful lot of damage to community cohesion and to the principle of integration in this country. May we have a debate so that we can undo the damage that his comments have done?

Ms Harman: If the hon. Gentleman wants to raise that matter further, he should look to Ministry of Justice oral questions, which take place next Tuesday.

The Centre for Islamic Pluralism also report on their website: "Two thirds of UK Muslims do not want Sharia law in Britain.  Muslim community leaders warned that any parallel legal system would be a “disaster”, especially for Muslims. The Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chief Justice were attacked for “interfering” after both backed aspects of the Islamic legal system being incorporated into British law."

Click here to read the comments as recorded in Parliament's Hansard.

Sniffer dogs to wear Muslim bootees
6 July 2008

Guidelines are being drawn up by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to urge awareness of religious sensitivities when using dogs to search for drugs and explosives. The guidelines, to be published this year, were designed to cover mosques but have been extended to include other buildings.

Where Muslims object, officers will be obliged to use sniffer dogs only in exceptional cases. Where dogs are used, they will have to wear bootees with rubber soles. “We are trying to ensure that police forces are aware of sensitivities that people can have with the dogs to make sure they are not going against any religious or cultural element within people’s homes. It is being addressed and forces are working towards doing it,” Acpo said.

John Midgley, co-founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness, said: “The police are in effect being overly sensitive to potential criminals and not being sensitive enough to the public at large who need to be protected. These sort of things have a counter-productive effect because they cause huge friction between different communities.”

Click here to read the full article in the Sunday Times, here to read the story in the Daily Mail and here to read the story in the Daily Express.

Additional Note - Ian Hamilton has sent the following contribution to the Campaign: "Have just returned from 4 years in muslim Brunei. Search/sniffer dogs are used at all high-profile public events where his Majesty the (muslim) Sultan, his family and his Ministers are in attendance - the handlers are non-muslims but the dogs are used without restrictions to ensure no threat exists."

Ali Miraj says the white working classes are being ignored
3 July 2008

In an article on the blog Conservative Home, former aspiring MP Ali Miraj said he felt that the white working classes in the country were being ignored.  He also mentioned that he understood why many were turning to the BNP for answers saying, "It is, in my view, a perfectly rational reaction by a growing proportion of the white working class who feel marginalised by a political elite that would rather ignore them."  Had this been said by someone who was white the reaction would have been predictable but this piece has not elicited the usual claims of racism naturally!  Of course by not commenting on these remarks, those who normally tend to shout the loudest against others just prove what racists they actually are as it clearly demonstrates that they are the ones who treat people differently based on their race.  To read the whole well thought out and well written contribution by Ali Miraj in pdf format click here.

Police apologise for dog advert after claims it may upset some Muslims
2 July 2008

The police in Tayside apologised for any offence caused by a card which was distributed to give a new non-emergency telephone number to locals after Mohammed Asif, a Dundee City councillor who sits on the Tayside Joint Police Board, said that he was concerned that the card had not been welcomed by all communities.  He said, "The police should have understood.  People who have shops just will not put up the postcard. But the police have said to me that it was simply an oversight and they did not seek to offend or upset."  He went on to say, "Since then the police have explained that it was an oversight on their part and that if they had seen it was going to cause upset they would not have done it.

To read the whole story in the Daily Telegraph click here.

In an interview with the Scotsman, Mahmud Sarwar Rathor (trustee of the Scottish Islamic and Cultural Centre and Dundee's Dura Street mosque) said that the police should not have apologised because the issue should never have been raised with them and that he can find nobody who is offended by the dog picture apart from Mohammed Asif.

Click here to read the full interview in the Scotsman.

Equality announcement not so equal
26 June 2008

In the detail of the Equalities Bill, Harriet Harman has set out the Government's position on new laws surrounding so-called "positive action" and "positive discrimination".  Click here or the front page above to read the story in the Daily Express.  As details of the Bill were announced in Parliament today, Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness said, "This Bill has nothing to do with equality. It is the most politically correct Bill ever, proposed by the most politically correct Minister that this country has ever seen. If she were so bothered about equality, she should have enshrined in law the fact that people should be given a job and candidates selected on merit—irrespective of their gender and irrespective of their racial background. How on earth can she justify in an equalities Bill a provision that allows people to be selected solely on the basis of their skin colour or their gender? That is completely and utterly outrageous. The party that, as the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) said, introduced anti-discrimination laws is now reintroducing discrimination into the workplace. How many of the Minister’s hand-wringing white male colleagues have offered to give up their seats in the House to make way for more women and more ethnic minority MPs?"

Senior Asian BBC chief says there are too many non-whites on TV
26 June 2008

Dr Samir Shah, a non-executive director at the BBC, accused the corporation and others of rampant tokenism in their programming.  He claimed a 'tick-box approach' to showing non-whites had left minority viewers feeling embarrassed and irritated.  He blamed a 'metropolitan, largely liberal, white, middle-class elite' for ensuring ethnic minority presence on-screen 'regardless of editorial imperatives'.  He cited research by Trevor Phillips, who heads the Equality and Human Rights Commission, which suggested that even ethnic minorities are slightly embarrassed by the 'plethora of brown faces they see on the screen'. Philip Davies MP, Parliamentary Spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness said, 'The BBC is absolutely riddled with a politically-correct culture. It does not do anyone any favours in the long run. Putting a token ethnic minority person into something just for the sake of it is political correctness which I don't support. True equality means it should be irrelevant what colour your are.'

Council bans the term "brainstorming" despite criticism from National Society for Epilepsy
19 June 2008

The term 'Brainstorming' has been banned by Tunbridge Wells Council in case it offends epileptics or the mentally ill.  The council have sent hundreds of staff on training courses to teach them to adopt a new phrase - 'thought showers'.  Yet Margaret Thomas, of the National Society for Epilepsy, said: 'Brainstorming is a clear and descriptive phrase, and alternatives such as "thought shower" or "blue sky thinking" are ambiguous to say the least.  People with epilepsy are not so sensitive that anything with the word "brain" in it causes distress.  Any implication that the word "brainstorming" is offensive to people with epilepsy is taking political correctness too far.'

She added a recent survey conducted by the charity revealed 93 per cent of people with epilepsy did not find the term derogatory or offensive in any way.

Click here to read the full story in the Daily Mail.

Charity warns that political correctness is allowing abuse of children to continue
9 June 2008

According to the NSPCC, pressure to 'respect other cultures' has meant that nothing has been done to protect some victims in cases of abuse.  Police, social workers and health service staff were said to be so afraid of being labelled racist that they have failed to properly tackle allegations of abuse in Asian families and Asians responsible for violence against children used their culture and religion as a shield to cover and justify abuse.

NSPCC manager Saleha Islam said: 'Asian children and their mothers suffer the double injustice of a community that would rather save face than deal with domestic violence and a system that lacks cultural understanding and so hides behind political correctness.' 

Click here to read the article in the Daily Mail or click here to read the NSPCC.

Council told not to use the word "senior" in job adverts
28 May 2008

Pendle Council has been advised by that it should not use the word "senior" in advertising certain positions as it has connotations with older members of the population and may therefore be deemed discriminatory.  At a meeting of the council's Executive, Coun. Greaves described this decision by some "jobsworth" as "politically correct crap".  The local paper said that the word senior has nothing to do with a person's age when it comes to job descriptions. It is simply a way of describing the position requires someone to be in charge of a section and the people working in it.  The Executive sided with Coun. Greaves and rejected the advice regarding the wording of its advertisements, and the word "senior" will continue to be used when appropriate. Click here for the story in the local Pendle newspaper.

Students asked not to throw hats at their graduation
28 May 2008

Students at Anglia Ruskin University have been asked not to throw their hats in the air at their graduation in case the hats injure someone.  This follows one previous incident a few years ago which has only now led to the policy being changed.  Laura Midgley, Co-Founder of the Campaign Against Political Correctness said, "This is a tradition that dates right back and, in the scheme of things, the likelihood of being injured by a flying hat appears to be very low.  The students are far more likely to be injured on their way to and from the ceremony - especially if they are travelling in cars which are known to kill thousands of people every year - and so with this logic the whole ceremony should be cancelled!  We are getting to the stage where we want there to be zero risk in everything that we do and not only is this impossible to achieve but it makes life all the more dull as a consequence". Click here to read the story in the Cambridge News, here for the Daily Telegraph, here for the Times and here to read the story in the Daily Mail.

As we have rather a lot of news stories in this section now we have decided to split them up into the RIDICULOUS cases of political correctness and then the more DAMAGING cases of political correctness.  Some cases could fall into both categories but we have had to split them up as best we can!

Updated Web Pages

Internships

Anti-PC Mayor

PC News


Famous Non-PC


Not In My Name


Your Views 


Your Stories

PC Awards


Books on PC New


Non-PC Nostalgia


Challenging PC