British Blairite minister Hodge criticized in Labour party for racist remarks

From British daily The Independent:

Labour raps Hodge over call to house ‘Britons first’

By Nigel Morris, Home Affairs Correspondent

Published: 26 May 2007

Margaret Hodge‘s chances of surviving as a minister under Gordon Brown were fading after her call for a “Britons first” housing policy came under fire from all sides of the Labour Party.

Two deputy leadership candidates accused the Industry minister of pandering to the British National Party, while even a close ally of Mrs Hodge admitted her ideas would lead to immigrant children being treated unfairly.

Mrs Hodge, the MP for Barking where the BNP has made spectacular council gains, provoked anger when she argued that people whose families had been in Britain for generations should have priority for social housing, even if migrants were in greater need.

Not all of the Labour Party deputy leader candidates have criticized Hodge; ultra Blairite Hazel Blears supports her.