New Malden Korean community not integrating, say parliamentary candidates (From Surrey Comet)

New Malden Korean community not integrating, say parliamentary candidates

New Malden’s Korean community is not doing enough to integrate, voters were told by Kingston’s main parliamentary challengers, who warned about the rise of the British National Party.

From left to right: Max Freedman (Lab), Helen Whately (Con) and Edward Davey (LibDem)

Conservative Helen Whately, Labour’s Max Freedman, and incumbent Liberal Democrat Edward Davey MP appeared at a meeting of Kingston Racial Equality Council, chaired by director John Azah, on Wednesday.

The event is seen as a warm-up to tonight's Kingston and Surbiton hustings at the Kings Centre in Chessington at 7.30pm.

There is also a hustings at Tiffin School tonight at 7.30pm for the Richmond Park candidates which include Zac Goldsmith and Susan Kramer.

Mr Davey said: “The Korean community is fantastic for our borough but by the very nature of the Koreans that come here, they do not stay here for very long.

“They feel less of a need to integrate and are not as open. That is a challenge for us.”

Mrs Whately said: “With the Koreans in New Malden, people on the doorstep express quite a lot of resentment about some of them because they have not learned English.”

Mr Freedman said: “I remember when the BNP members’ list was leaked and was shocked to see there were BNP members around New Malden.”

Mr Azah said he was glad there were no BNP candidates standing as a Kingston MP or for the council but was worried its influence was growing after their leader, Nick Griffin, visited New Malden last month.

He said: “Just across the border in Richmond the BNP is putting up two candidates and there are four in Sutton.

“Even though they dared to have a meeting on a television station in New Malden they have not got any candidates in Kingston. I am pleased we are standing firm to our principles.”

Mr Azah also apologised for deliberately not widely publicising the hustings, for fear it would be overrun by political activists.

Addressing 13 members of the audience, he added: "I apologise that we prevented people from turning up. It is not the quantity it is the quality of the discussion which matters."

For more on the elections, both local and national visit www.surreycomet.co.uk/elections

Do you agree with the candidates? Tell us by calling Omar Oakes on 0208 330 9550 or emailing ooakes@london.newsquest.co.uk