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Multiculturalism: Ruth Kelly statement / Full statement by Ruth Kelly; ENGLAND: London: INT Ruth Kelly MP (Minister of Communities and Local Government) (wearing grey jacket with extra-wide lapels and chunky necklace) speech SOT - Welcome - and thanks to all of you who have come here today to launch the Commission on Integration and Cohesion - I want to start by saying that I believe that Britain’s diversity is a huge asset to our country - economically, culturally and socially - Immigration has helped transform our economy, supporting growth and boosting productivity. London’s strength as a financial centre - as I am keenly aware from my time at the Treasury - was driven by the acknowledgement across the developed world that Britain was open to new people, to new ideas and to new products - Immigration has helped enrich our cultural life, with the capital’s diversity now commonly acknowledged to be one of its key attractions / A weekend spent at the Notting Hill Carnival or exploring Brick Lane are attracting tourists and residents alike - And migrant workers have been vital to supporting our public services, providing critical staff to our hospitals and schools, as well as other essential services. As the Prime Minister has said / “far from always or even mainly being a drain on our health and education systems, they are often the very people delivering them - And I believe that we should celebrate and clearly articulate the benefits that migration and diversity have brought - but while celebrating that diversity we should also recognise that the landscape is changing, changing rapidly / And we should not shy away from asking - and trying to respond to - some of the more difficult questions that arise - I believe it is time now to engage in a new and honest debate about integration and cohesion in the UK / If we are to have an effective, progressive response to these issues, then we must be honest about the challenges we face and b...