Government accused of wasting money to fund school gypsy magazine
10 July 2008
The distribution of a magazine to schools to mark Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month (GRTHM) has come under fire.
Labour has been condemned for spending £70,000 of taxpayers' money on the publication, which claimed that a number of stars hailed from gypsy backgrounds.
Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin and Rita Hayworth were among those cited as having gypsy heritage.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools and Learners, Andrew Adonis MP, has been criticised for backing the initiative.
Critics have accused the magazine of perpetuating myths, while a campaigner against political correctness, Conservative MP Philip Davies, told the Express: 'This is a grotesque abuse of taxpayers' money. When families are struggling to pay their bills, for the government to fund this magazine which speaks garbage is just another kick in the teeth.'
In defence, the government stated that the funding for the magazine had been given to the travelling community to utilise.
Numbering over 12 million, Gypsies, Roma and Travellers make up the largest ethnic minority community in the European Union, with around 300,000 in the UK, according to the official website of the GRTHM.
The distribution of a magazine to schools to mark Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month (GRTHM) has come under fire.
Labour has been condemned for spending £70,000 of taxpayers' money on the publication, which claimed that a number of stars hailed from gypsy backgrounds.
Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin and Rita Hayworth were among those cited as having gypsy heritage.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools and Learners, Andrew Adonis MP, has been criticised for backing the initiative.
Critics have accused the magazine of perpetuating myths, while a campaigner against political correctness, Conservative MP Philip Davies, told the Express: 'This is a grotesque abuse of taxpayers' money. When families are struggling to pay their bills, for the government to fund this magazine which speaks garbage is just another kick in the teeth.'
In defence, the government stated that the funding for the magazine had been given to the travelling community to utilise.
Numbering over 12 million, Gypsies, Roma and Travellers make up the largest ethnic minority community in the European Union, with around 300,000 in the UK, according to the official website of the GRTHM.
Labels: Gypsy, Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month, Roma, Travellers
posted by Allie @ 2:48 PM
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