One sometimes wonders what our public life would be like if we did not set up strawmen and competed in who knocks them out first. Suella Braverman's recent speeches are a very good example of it.
She attacks almost everything in sight, especially if it has a liberal and humanitarian look. In her recent speech she attacked ECHR, multiculturalism, and refugees coming into the country. They are all seen as a grave danger to the country, and must be stopped as a matter of national priority. To a cool mind this sounds absurd even downright silly.
Take multiculturalism. The prime minister describes it in reasonably positive terms and sees it as an asset to the country. Braverman takes the opposite view. She thinks it involves leading parallel lives, does not encourage minorities to integrate into the British society and so on. Nothing could be further from the truth. All academic research in recent years shows that multiculturalism, meaning creative interaction between different cultures contributes to their enrichment. It also encourages minorities to feel secure and wanted, and to venture out into the wider society in a spirit of warmth and openness.
There is little doubt that Britain would have been a far more divided country without the support and encouragement provided by multiculturalism and the consequent principle of generosity and mutual respect.
