“Tony Blair’s staunch support for President Bush over Iraq has done the Labour Prime Minister great electoral damage in Britain, not least among the country’s 1.8 million Muslims. Despite being traditional Labour voters, many are now threatening at the forthcoming general election to support either the Liberal Democrats, who have taken a strong line against the war, or Respect, an alliance between the far-left MP George Galloway and Islamic fundamentalists. The British government’s reaction has been a panicky attempt to appease the Muslim community.”
Melanie Phillips opposes the new law against inciting religious hatred and attacks Mike O’Brien’s article in the Muslim Weekly.