Muslim community incredibly important for UK: Clegg

LONDON: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was today calling for an end to religious hate crime during a visit to Manchester's Muslim community.

Clegg told the M.E.N he wanted to see acts of hatred against Muslims wiped out - as he pledged to do all he could to put an end to 'abhorrent' prejudicial attacks.

The Liberal Democrat leader was visiting the British Muslim Heritage Centre, in Whalley Range, for a town hall-style summit with local community members and national Islamic organisations.

He was being joined by faith and communities minister Baroness Warsi and Lib Dem communities minister Don Foster.

Clegg said: "The reason I'm doing this is because I have for sometime now been very worried about the prejudice, religious hatred and racially motivated violence directed at many Muslims in Manchester and elsewhere. There's absolutely no place for hate crime in modern society. Its an abhorrent thing."

Clegg said: "The Muslim community is incredibly important for the country.
"This is a national issue but I was very keen to do this in Manchester where its particularly relevant."

He said interfaith work between the local Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities was particularly important in standing up against intolerance and added: "I will do everything in my power to make sure we take the necessary steps." (Monitoring Desk)