Impunidade

Free speech? Labour cares more about the Muslim vote, por Matthew d'Ancona.

The tone was set on Friday by Jack Straw, who condemned the republication of the cartoons of Mohammed, but not the protests that had started the night before, at which outrageously violent slogans were brandished on placards by militant Muslims. At the weekend, it became clear that ministers would have to say more. But neither Mr Straw nor Peter Hain would endorse David Davis's call for arrests. Mr Hain sounded as if he was breaking up a playground row: "There has to be a bit of give and take. So let's cool it and work together in the interests of peace and stability around the world." That's telling them, Peter.

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The allure of Islamism to such people owes much to its confidence. And that confidence has been bolstered during the past week. On Monday's Newsnight, Anjem Choudary of al-Ghuraba - the group that organised Friday's rally - showed in a series of furious outbursts how empowered extremists feel by the impunity they have enjoyed. In response to Jeremy Paxman's point that he might be happier in a country where sharia law was in place, Mr Choudary raged: "Who said to you that you own Britain, anyway? Britain belongs to Allah." And just to make clear what he thinks of the British, he continued: "If I go to the jungle, I am not going to live like the animals. I'm going to propagate what I believe to be a superior way of life."