Birmingham Schools

John Bercow Excerpts

Tuesday 22nd July 2014 Commons Chamber

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Mr Brennan, you were a most effective vocalist for the celebrated band MP4 at the concert in Speaker’s House last week, but today your role is to nod supportively when your boss is speaking. Nothing else is required.

[Several hon. Members]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Speaker]

What an embarrassment of riches! I call Mr Bob Stewart.

[Bob Stewart (Beckenham) (Con)]

Oh dear! Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I totally support the idea of teaching British values in schools, but is there a pamphlet or booklet instructing teachers exactly what are the British values they ought to espouse and how to teach them?

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

I hope the House now has a ready appetite for the rare delicacy which is the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone).

[Mr Hollobone]

In my right hon. Friend’s statement, she made reference to the council’s own report by Ian Kershaw which concluded that the council’s inability to address these problems had been exacerbated “by a culture of not wanting to address difficult problems where there was a risk of accusations of racism or Islamophobia.” Does my right hon. Friend agree that there is a chilling effect which prevents effective local government governance or effective governance in schools, where people do not have the confidence to tackle issues involving ethnic minorities because of the risk of being accused of being racist? How are her Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government going to come together to give such people the confidence they need to tackle these issues head-on?