David Cameron wants recent migrants to learn English, or face deportation. He argued today that too many women are denied the opportunity to speak English. And who doesn’t want women to have the freedom to learn English and play a full part in society? As an MP who represents one of the most diverse constituencies in Britain, no-one needs to tell me how important it is to engage seriously in a debate about integration. Like the Prime Minister, I want women in Leicester to learn English and in my experience, they and their families want them to learn English too.
The problem is not that Cameron wants women to learn English, but that his own record doesn’t suggest he is able to follow through on this promise. The government has spent the last five years restricting free access to, and cutting budgets for, English for Speakers of Other Languages courses. Two thirds of ESOL learners are women and they have been hit hardest by these changes.
If Cameron visited Leicester, he might meet Nevin who enrolled on an ESOL course because she wanted to find a job and move into paid employment.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in