Courtesy Call

Yesterday, there was officially declared to be no racism in Britain beyond people saying the n-word and such like down the pub or on Twitter. Nothing institutional. Nothing structural. Little or nothing by people who made real decisions such as policy or recruitment.

Today, there was not only found to have been a member of National Action in the Police, but following his conviction both of that and of child pornography, he was granted bail "as a courtesy". A black or brown man who had been convicted both of terrorism and of child pornography would not have been extended any such "courtesy".

If Benjamin Hannam had still been in post when the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill had made it onto the Statute Book, then he would have been empowered, among other things, to revoke on the spot the residency status of any foreign national who had attended any demonstration. I am standing for Parliament again. Damn right, I am.