At Westminster on Wednesday a debate was held to mark the 20th anniversary of the repeal of s.28 of the Local Government Act 1988 which prohibited local authorities from promoting homosexuality or the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a “pretended family relationship”. It meant that for over a generation same sex attraction dare not speak its name in schools or colleges across the UK. Homophobic bullying went unchallenged and sex education about the AIDS crisis was hampered at a time when it was crucial to save lives. 

It was announced yesterday that net migration is three times what it was when the Tories were re-elected for a third term in 2019 on a manifesto promising to reduce it. It is tempting to laugh but really, we should weep. One of the main reasons Brexit occurred was a result of the moral panic stirred up over immigration. And now we are left with a situation where we have lost free movement and skilled workers while refugees and asylum seekers are being treated appallingly, and all for nothing.

It's been another crazy week in British politics.  Just as Suella Braverman was sent packing, David Cameron, the disgraced former prime minister who brought you Brexit and the Greensill lobbying scandal was elevated to the Lords and appointed Foreign Secretary.

“The laws of war must guide Israel’s response to Hamas atrocity.” Not my words but those of a group of eminent Jewish lawyers in a letter to the Financial Times earlier this week.  The group included former President of the UK Supreme court, Lord Neuberger, and Philippe Sands KC, one of the world’s foremost experts in international law.   Their measured and scholarly letter is particularly impactful because they write as Jews with family and friends directly affected by the terrible crimes perpetrated by Hamas on 7 October.