THE Tory group on Blackburn with Darwen Council have fiercely criticised moves to hand over grants to mosques in the area to teach youngsters their "mother tongue."

They argue that English is the mother tongue of children born in this country and not Urdu, Punjabi or Gujerati, even though their parents may come from Asia.

And the Tories have a point.

It is certainly insensitive to describe a foreign language as the mother tongue here in East Lancashire. But that is as far as it goes and it should not be the sole reason for cutting grants.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with teaching children about their ethnic backgrounds. Most of them are eager to learn about the countries in which parents and grandparents were born.

That applies to all children, whether their parents come from Scotland, Ireland or further afield.

We can appreciate the desire of the Asian community to teach children born in this country something of their ethnic background.

But it is inaccurate as well as insensitive to label any foreign language used in Britain as the mother tongue.

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