Turbulent Priests

Climate change notwithstanding, thinking man's beardie Dr Rowan Williams whipped up a storm earlier today when he opined that Islamic law should be adopted in the UK.

At the same time, it emerged that colourful Islamist cleric Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi will not be allowed into Britain on a medical visa.

Dr al-Qaradawi appears to have fallen victim to David Cameron's taunting of Gordon Brown last week, though the Conservatives bear no responsibility for the Archbishop's views expressed on a BBC programme this afternoon.

There has already been a deal of comment about both of these clergymen, not least from the agreeably predictable Muslim Council of Britain (who are for Dr Williams and against the exclusion of Dr al-Qaradawi).

I agree with them that it would have been preferable to have admitted al-Qaradawi. We should have allowed him a platform and then afforded him medical care in prison should he have abused it. After all, though the danger from "preachers of hate" has been all too apparent for some time, we have nothing to fear from words in themselves.

Indeed, freedom of speech is important. What Dr Williams has clarified is that it is now equally vital in the case of both priests that we absolutely disregard what they have to say.