Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn pressed over reaction to 'alien culture' beheading remark
Hilary Benn has been pressed over his reaction to a claim that beheading people is an “alien culture”.
The Northern Ireland Secretary was quizzed on the matter on LBC’s Nick Ferrari show this morning.
Referring to Monday night’s knife attack in north Belfast, over which a Sudanese immigrant has been charged, Jim Allister had said in Parliament: “What I want to know, and what I know that my constituents want to hear, is what will be done to stop the importation of an alien culture that thinks it is appropriate to try to behead someone within the United Kingdom.”
Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland secretary, had responded: “I am sorry that the honourable and learned gentleman used the words ‘alien culture’; what exactly is he referring to?
“What the British people have had enough of is anyone, from wherever they come and whatever their background, who seeks to commit violence against citizens of the United Kingdom.”
Mr Benn was asked by Mr Ferrari: “Globally, is beheading an alien culture?” adding that he is “not talking about the UK”.
"Seeking to behead an individual is absolutely abhorrent...” replied Mr Benn.
"Is it an alien culture?” he was asked again.
"I think from all countries would condemn it,” he replied.
The host asked the same question several more times.
"I have answered your question,” said Mr Benn.
"It is alien to all right-thinking people.”
Mr Benn was further asked: “Why did you respond in that fashion to Jim Allister?”
He replied: "Because I took what he was saying to talk, talking about more generally people from an alien culture.
"The act, of course, is abhorrent and alien to all fair-minded people, all reasonable-thinking people…
"In the end, we have to judge people, as Martin Luther King famously said, not by the color of their skin or where they come from, but by the content of their character, and that is the British way.”