A century ago, women across Britain asserted their right to vote. Today the Archbishop of Canterbury is suggesting we accept part of Sharia law in the UK.
Not the bit about killing gay people, but other equally controversial concepts such as allowing Muslim people to have Muslim divorces.
At first glance that might sound sensible, sensitive even. It isn’t. Under Sharia, women are judged differently from men, women are constrained in ways that are unacceptable in our society.
And that is the point – it is our society and its values are fundamentally incompatible with aspects of Muslim attitudes.
What is more worrying is that Muslim commentators have been suggesting some sort of ‘live and let live’ idea, where we Christians get on with life under our rules and let them take responsibility for their personal lives under Sharia.
That is unacceptable. Women – all women – in this country have equal rights with men in this country.
That is unacceptable. Women – all women – in this country have equal rights with men in this country.
Those rights are set out and protected by Parliament. They are the only body in this country that makes laws, and they apply to everyone.
British Muslims, at least those who speak up for the community on TV and newspapers, seem not to have grasped that fundamental point.
Why the Archbishop of Canterbury is hawking this nonsense, under the nebulous cause of “improving social cohesion,” is entirely unclear.
I can think of nothing that would damage the fabric of British society more than different standards, different laws and different rules for different religions.
Gordon Brown talks a lot about Britishness, and to his credit his response was robust.
"There are instances where government has made changes - for example on stamp duty - but the general position is that Sharia cannot be used as justification for committing breaches of English law nor can its principles be used in civil courts,” his spokesman said today.
“British laws should be based on British values."
British Muslims, at least those who speak up for the community on TV and newspapers, seem not to have grasped that fundamental point.
Why the Archbishop of Canterbury is hawking this nonsense, under the nebulous cause of “improving social cohesion,” is entirely unclear.
I can think of nothing that would damage the fabric of British society more than different standards, different laws and different rules for different religions.
Gordon Brown talks a lot about Britishness, and to his credit his response was robust.
"There are instances where government has made changes - for example on stamp duty - but the general position is that Sharia cannot be used as justification for committing breaches of English law nor can its principles be used in civil courts,” his spokesman said today.
“British laws should be based on British values."
