Sensing statistical confusion or covert Islamophobia

David Quarrie is entitled to his opinion but he should not presume that he is speaking for “millions like” him (Yorkshire Post, December 15).

The results from the 2011 UK National Census are interesting but hardly “horrific”.

Statistics are prone to disingenuous interpretation.

It may be true that a large minority of our population do not have English as their first language but how many of the indigenous population – as the Right is fond of labelling white Britons – have a second language?

I would also venture that many immigrants are more articulate in their second language than many of us are in our first.

As a sports lover, did not Mr Quarrie rejoice in Britain’s Annus Mirabilis of sport, when the nation took non-white athletes such as Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis and Nicola Adams to their 
hearts?

Mr Quarrie (“and millions like him”) are “in total despair” and he is contemplating emigration.

Certainly thousands of white English have emigrated every year since 1950 but this has little or nothing to do with immigration.

Among the most popular destinations were English speaking countries such as Australia and Canada, sparsely populated and perceived as lands of opportunity.

Career moves and property prices are other reasons for emigration but the real culprit is our much-maligned climate which drives myopic Brits away in search of one thing: the sun.

Funny how so many are now trying in vain to get back from Spain and France.

From: Liz Whitehouse, Orchard Court, York.

DAVID Quarrie’s letter was so foolish on so many levels.

Mr Quarrie says he feels like a foreigner in his own country.

The 2011 Census tells us that UK-wide 86 per cent of the population identifies itself as “white” with 80.5 per cent being “white British”.

I note that Mr Quarrie lives in York – it is surprising that he feels alienated by the 9.8 per cent of people living in the City of York area who do not describe themselves as “white British”.

The vast majority of immigrants to this country come here to work, either in jobs that many “white British” people feel are beneath them such as food harvesting and food packaging, or in areas where successive governments have shirked their responsibilities to train and support British people, such as in the NHS.

The result of this neglect is that each year Britain needs to attract qualified doctors and nurses from poor countries all over 
the world: the Philippines and many African countries are very well represented in UK 
hospitals.

Perhaps the true gist of Mr Quarrie’s letter lies in his assertion that “Islam will soon take over this nation completely”.

Ah – there we have it – just 
plain old Islamophobia in 
action.

Let’s finish by taking a calm look at the facts from the 2011 census: 4.8 per cent of the population describe themselves as Muslim.

A long way from a take-over, Mr Quarrie.