Banning the burka will help defeat racism and resentment.

The most common line of argument I've heard against banning the burka is that people fear of living in a country that says what people can and cannot wear. Newsflash, we always live in it.

I have in the past been asked to take me hood down when in a shopping centre by security. Not even when I was among a group of lads which I can understand would appear intimidating, but was simply out shopping with family. The fact is that certain practicalities of our society exist and the burka is not only a severe impairment for identification purposes, it has more serious implications.

Some have tried to criticise UKIP for taking up the "BNP mantle" on this issue. Bollocks. The reason that support for racists like the BNP grows is because people become fearful, partly through visually striking images such as Muslim women wearing the burka. The garment is so striking that I have seen many heads turn when a group of two or three women walk down the street wearing it. People immediately take an "us and them" view of those wearing it as they view, logically, that these people are cutting themselves off. People question why are they doing this and resentment can then build towards Muslims locally, especially in areas that are heavily racially segregated in terms of their being "white areas", "Asian areas" and "black areas".

While I have total respect for those who wish to practise any religion, the burka is not an essential part of Islam. If it was, the situation would be slightly different. The fact is that the burka as a symbol causes separation within our society and when separation occurs, it is only the racists who benefit from fear, bewilderment and anger.

Labour's career politicians have exposed their disconnection from the country.

Jon Cruddas, Jack Straw, Alan Johnson. I would lay money that any of these men, had they had the guts to come forward and deliver the required killer blow to Gordon Brown's leadership of the Labour Party, could have limited the damage done to the Labour Party at the next General Election. In fact, they could have even perhaps even recovered and defeated a Cameron lead Conservative Party that is getting by simply by allowing Brown to blow chunks out of his own Party's credibility. Notice I don't include the Miliband brothers who in my view are just as vacant in terms of ideas and likeability as Cameron and Clegg.

The fact that none of them had the guts to come forward as a credible successor is something that I think they will all now regret. Gordon Brown is widely viewed as utterly useless by large swathes of the public and I suspect the only people left voting Labour will be those utterly blinkered by Tory hatred.

The next election may not quite be a 1997 landslide for what is a very slick but empty Tory Party. However, I think what is fairly certain is that Labour have now condemned themselves to being massacred just like the Tories were in '97. It will be interesting to see what type of Phoenix rises from New Labour's ashes. I think Labour being reduced to ashes this year is now a certainty.

Bargain!

Successive British governments have seen fit to hand over greater and greater control of Britain's democracy to the European Union. How intriguing then that they seem so intent in protecting Iceland's.

Inadvertently of course, but nevertheless Britain's threatening to block Iceland's potential bid for EU membership if Iceland doesn't pay the UK back billions of euros in loan money.

A loan of €3.8bn AND a veto on EU membership? Where's the catch?

Labour's last chance.

Senior Labour MPs Patricia Hewitt and Geoff Hoon have given Labour a lifeline for the next General Election. A secret ballot giving Labour MPs the chance to vote on Gordon Brown's leadership is Labour's last chance to ditch Gordon Brown and put in place something (anything?) more credible to go into the next General Election with.

I doubt Labour will have the nerve given the close proximity to the General Election. But this really is Labour's last chance. I suspect if Brown is not ousted, many Labour MPs who lose their jobs will come regret not having the backbone to move against him. If they do not bin Brown, they face utter annihilation.