Extreme case for next PM

THE FRIDAY THING: HOME Secretary Theresa May has done herself no harm at all in the upcoming race to be the next PM.

In a speech that included fresh powers to drive Muslim extremists from British public life and to order the closure of mosques which harbour fanatics, she insisted Britain and the British people had tolerated extremists’ views for far too long.

Mrs May also put forward plans to expel hardliners, anyone who rejected British values and stressed the importance of all Muslims young and old speaking English.

Not all Muslims will welcome Mrs May’s views, not least that she wants to silence preachers of hate and to scrutinise sharia courts and to ban extremist groups. But it is important to make it perfectly clear here that this is not an attack on all Muslims living in the UK. The vast majority, not least in Oldham, are law abiding, friendly people.

British people living in Muslim countries are expected to adopt the qualities, rules and regulations that form the background of community life. It should be no different here.

The Liberal Democrats, no surprise, are against Mrs May’s proposals. It will be interesting to see what they come up with in response.


Why ‘fattism’ rant holds no weight with me

DR Sarah Jackson of University College, London, said poking fun at overweight people should be treated as seriously as racism and sexism.

She says so-called “fattism” proves that shaming people into slimming results in them piling on the pounds.

Stand by for commenting on a person’s fatness becoming a crime then. Anorexia could be next — though anorexics are harder to see.