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LONDON, U. K. December 11, 2001: Twenty-first century Britain is composed “shockingly divided communities,” Tony Blair’s government has said. The Cantle report, commissioned by the Home Office, warned there would be no quick fixes. It makes 67 recommendations covering areas such as housing, political leadership, education, youth and leisure facilities and regeneration. It called for a change in the way regeneration schemes are managed, which force groups to “compete against each other” and lead to resentment. Home Secretary David Blunkett welcomed the reports and called for a debate on citizenship. The summer’s disturbances were some of the worst seen in the UK, with the Bradford violence alone causing damage estimated at US$16 million, and injuring 300 police officers. In a startling indictment of “the growing disaffection of Pakistani Muslims and youths of Pakistani origin,” the British government released a new plan to prevent a repeat of the riots in mainly Pakistani and Bangladeshi-populated north-west English towns. Sikh-dominant Southall and Gujarati-dominant Leicester are singled out for praise, “In Southall and Leicester in particular, it was clear to us there was a pride in their community… it was also notable that diversity was seen as a positive thing,” the government said. The report praised these communities ability to fit in to society and peacefully resolve problems that occurred.

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