The British are not a race and Britishness cannot be defined in terms of race or ethnic background, British Foreign Secretary Mr Robin Cook was saying today.
In one of the strongest defences of multiculturalism made by a government minister, Mr Cook was set to dismiss the idea of an ethnically pure British race as "a fantasy", while describing immigration as "necessary and desirable" for the UK's economy and society.
And he was due to blame Tory leader Mr William Hague for encouraging recent outbursts over race from members of his party such as Yorkshire East MP John Townend, who accused immigrants of undermining Britain's "homogenous Anglo-Saxon society".
Mr Hague's suggestion that a second Labour term would turn Britain into "a foreign land" was among several remarks by leading Conservatives which gave succour to those with racist views, he was due to suggest.
In a speech to the Centre for the Open Society in London, Mr Cook was due to condemn Mr Townend's comments, saying: "This narrow view of British identity, fed on myths about `our island race', arises from a pitiful misreading of British history.
"The British are not a race, but a gathering of countless different races, the vast majority of which were not indigenous to these islands.
"The idea that Britain was a `pure' Anglo-Saxon society before the arrival of communities from the Caribbean, Asia and Africa is a fantasy."
Mr Cook was set to call on all British politicians to "accept responsibility for defending values of openness and tolerance, and resist the temptation to exploit the fears and anxieties of those who feel unsettled by change."
Britain's multicultural identity was "an immense asset that contributes to the cultural and economic vitality of our nation", Mr Cook was due to say.
Cultural diversity attracted multinational countries to the UK, while the lifestyles and cultural horizons of Britain's people were enhanced by the arrival of new communities, Mr Cook was expected to say.
And he was due to add: "Legitimate immigration is the necessary and unavoidable result of economic success, which generates a demand for labour faster than can be met by the birth-rate of a modern developed country. Creating an open and inclusive society that welcomes incomers is therefore a condition of growth and prosperity in the modern world.
"Coming to terms with multiculturalism as a positive force for our economy and society will have significant implications for our understanding of Britishness.
"The modern notion of national identity cannot be based on race and ethnicity, but must be based on shared ideals and aspirations.