Michael Savage among 'least wanted' people in Britain

[P4P Opinion]

The names of some of the people barred from entering the UK for fostering extremism or hatred have been published for the first time.

Islamic extremists, white supremacists and a US radio host are among the 16 of 22 excluded in the five months to March to have been named by the Home Office.

Since 2005, the UK has been able to ban people who promote hatred, terrorist violence or serious criminal activity.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said coming to the UK should be a privilege.

Ms Smith said "the public interest was against naming" the remaining six, for example on the grounds it could reveal the type of information being held about them.

The Muslim Council of Britain says the government should not act against people - whatever their views - unless they have broken the law.

'Against our values'

However, Ms Smith said granting free speech did not provide a licence to preach hatred and that those banned had "clearly overstepped the mark" with the attitudes they had expressed.

"[Naming them] enables people to see the sorts of unacceptable behaviour we are not willing to have in this country.

"Coming to this country is a privilege. We won't allow people into this country who are going to propagate the sort of views... that fundamentally go against our values."

Ms Smith had announced in October the tightening of rules determining who could come to the UK.

A "presumption in favour of exclusion" was introduced that meant it would be up to the individual concerned to prove they would not "stir up tension" after arrival.

On the list of those banned between October and March are Hamas MP Yunis Al-Astal and Jewish extremist Mike Guzovsky.

Also excluded are two leaders of a violent Russian skinhead gang, ex-Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard Stephen 'Don' Black and neo-Nazi Erich Gliebe.

UK 'least wanted' list in detail
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Fred Waldron Phelps Snr, a 79-year-old American Baptist pastor, and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper are barred for their anti-gay comments.

Both have picketed the funerals of Aids victims and celebrated the deaths of US soldiers as "punishment" for US tolerance of ****sexuality.

Talk show host Michael Savage - real name Michael Weiner - is also excluded. His views on immigration, Islam, rape and autism have caused great offence in America.

Inayat Bunglawala, of the Muslim Council of Britain, told BBC Radio 5 Live that people should be free to enter the country, regardless of their views.

"If they step over the line and break the law, it's at that moment the law should be enacted, not beforehand.

"If people are keeping their odious views to themselves, that's their business. We should not be in the business of policing people's minds."

He added that internet broadcasts meant that speeches could be screened from abroad into UK meetings anyway.

In recent years, individuals from a range of backgrounds have been prevented from entering the UK.

They have included animal rights activists, rap singers such as Snoop Dogg and even a lifestyle "guru" - Martha Stewart.

She was kept out after being jailed in the US for lying to investigators about a share sale.

EXCLUSIONS

Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal
Yunis Al Astal
Samir Al Quntar
Stephen Donald Black
Wadgy Abd El Hamied Mohamed Ghoneim
Erich Gliebe
Mike Guzovsky
Safwat Hijazi
Nasr Javed
Abdul Ali Musa
Fred Waldron Phelps Snr
Shirley Phelps-Roper
Artur Ryno
Amir Siddique
Pavel Skachevsky
Michael Alan Weiner

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8033060.stm

Man I hate Jacqui Smith, but this is too funny. Not only is Savage mocked and hated in his own country, but he is banned from Britain as well. The guy is like Rush Limbaugh with even more arrogance and an extra helping of ignorance - which is saying something, considering how bad Limbaugh is.

[ILLuminato]

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8033060.stm

Man I hate Jacqui Smith, but this is too funny. Not only is Savage mocked and hated in his own country, but he is banned from Britain as well. The guy is like Rush Limbaugh with even more arrogance and an extra helping of ignorance - which is saying something, considering how bad Limbaugh is.

Listen to Limbaugh at least twice and I thin you'll change your mind. If you think Rush is a bad person you obviously don't understand what he means. First and foremost, Rush and Savage are both entertainers, let's be real. But also, Limbaugh loves what's great about America, he just hates when liberals try to ruin it (which they are)

[Dr.Depravity]

Savage isn't anything like Limbaugh really. Savage is the closest thing to a fascist right winger I've ever seen. I think for the most part he's an idiot. He is also sue happy and is planning a defamation lawsuit on the gal that created the list. I mean Savage acted like he follows boxing and supposedly had seats to Hatton Pacquiao fight, yet mispronounced Pacs name a couple times. WTF?

[BmoreBrawler]

Savage actually speaks the truth once in a while, unlike most of the chickenhawk neo-cons

[Dr.Depravity]

Savage actually speaks the truth once in a while, unlike most of the chickenhawk neo-cons

I agree he makes some points. But some of his ideas on how to fix problems I disagree with.

[res]

This is extremely gay of the Brits, except for the terrorists on the list.

[Jim Jeffries]

Pretty disturbing, to say the least. So much for free speech in Britain.

[Mizzou]

The lack of free speech in Britain and Europe is surprising to me.

[BmoreBrawler]

I agree he makes some points. But some of his ideas on how to fix problems I disagree with.

He usually says that violent coercion through the government is the solution, same as all the other so-called conservative hosts.

[whitealexander]

i really dont want to go to country that doesn't allow freedom of speech...