By Martin Beckford
Ann Cryer said politicians in areas with high Muslim populations, many of which are Labour heartlands, should be at the forefront of the campaign to stop young couples being made to wed against their will by their families.
But she claimed that some politicians are afraid to speak out on the issue in case they alienate Muslim voters. The forced marriage unit at the Foreign Office deals with an estimated 300 cases every year, most of them involving teenage girls from Pakistani or Bangladeshi families.
Mrs Cryer, who is stepping down as MP for Keighley in West Yorkshire at the next general election, added that local Muslim leaders are not doing enough to encourage integration and accused them of trying to keep immigrants who move to Britain "in the backwoods".
It comes just days after Gordon Brown praised her "brave" campaign against forced marriage, and said her understanding of her constituency was "second to none".
Mrs Cryer, 68, said: "There still is a nervousness to talk about this, especially those MPs in constituencies affected by these issues. Read more ...
Ann Cryer said politicians in areas with high Muslim populations, many of which are Labour heartlands, should be at the forefront of the campaign to stop young couples being made to wed against their will by their families.
But she claimed that some politicians are afraid to speak out on the issue in case they alienate Muslim voters. The forced marriage unit at the Foreign Office deals with an estimated 300 cases every year, most of them involving teenage girls from Pakistani or Bangladeshi families.
Mrs Cryer, who is stepping down as MP for Keighley in West Yorkshire at the next general election, added that local Muslim leaders are not doing enough to encourage integration and accused them of trying to keep immigrants who move to Britain "in the backwoods".
It comes just days after Gordon Brown praised her "brave" campaign against forced marriage, and said her understanding of her constituency was "second to none".
Mrs Cryer, 68, said: "There still is a nervousness to talk about this, especially those MPs in constituencies affected by these issues. Read more ...
Source: Telegraph
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