Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Bidisha & Mohammed Osborne

For a few seconds, time stopped and the audience dropped a collective jaw as Yasmin Alibhai-Brown asked if we knew that the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne’s brother was a Muslim convert, Mohammed Osborne. No we didn’t! But…but… how did that happen?

It was a sell out session with the charismatic journalist and writer,

Cracking Up: The Evolution of British Asian Humour

From L-R: Saurabh Kakkar, Shazia Mirza, Anil Gupta, Sathnam Sanghera at Asia House

It’s the second time British Asian humour has been the subject of debate and discussion as part of Asia House Bagri Foundation Literature Festival and this year’s event was wonderful.  Everyone in attendance was mostly in good spirits (some wine helped of course!), eager to hear and participate in the discussion. Despite the lightness of the topic, Bunty and I left feeling we had learnt new things and subjects to ponder. The evening event focused on British Asian humour, its development as mark of cultural identity and how it has evolved since Goodness Gracious Me.

Asia House invited Anil Gupta, Saurabh Kakkar (both writers and producers) and Shazia Mirza the stand up comedian. Anil Gupta is well known for the revolutionary and groundbreaking series Goodness Gracious Me, The Office and The Kumars at No 42. The evening started with a few

Forced Marriages

Forced marriages were on the agenda in British politics today under a new guise. To protect British borders.

Prime Minister, David Cameron, would like to see forced marriages criminalised despite the Home Secretary rejecting requests from pressure groups only a month ago.

Zip Your Lips

A Dutch court ruled yesterday that the right-wing politician was not guilty of inciting hatred but his comments came under free speech.  While Islamic groups in The Netherlands won right of appeal the politician is declaring a day of victory for freedom of speech (a pretty over-used declaration).

The politician compared the Quran to Hitler’s Mein Kampf and called for a halt to Muslim immigration.  While I think all types of right-wing extremists have jaded views I do think he is right to also declare that he won the right to debate Islam in public.

Enter If You’re A Virgin

Around 80 unmarried Asian girl were subjected to intrusive and humiliating virginity tests at Heathrow Airport during 1970’s . Girls who failed the virginity tests were denied access into Britain.

The case that originally caused alarm was of an Asian teacher who was entering into the Britain with her fiance. British immigration did not believe that she was a bride to be and subjected her to a vaginal examination by a male doctor. Indeed the examination verified that she was a virgin.