Flying flag for racial equality

After a week of the Government’s Windrush scandal, Labour’s ongoing anti-semitism row and the 20th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s death, it was incredibly moving to be at the Show Racism the Red Card schools awards at Stoke City FC on Tuesday.

I helped present the Jo Cox Award to Year Two pupils from Cestria Primary School in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, for their beautiful poster of a butterfly covered in national flags.

We all thought Jo would have loved its optimistic message – “We are all beautiful just like a butterfly”.

I also loved another winning poster by Nikki, aged eight. Hers said: “When I see you through my eyes I think we are different – when I see you through my heart we are just the same.”

The day ended perfectly when I got home in time to see Mo Salah’s performance for Liverpool.

There’s been a lot of talk this week of the so-called Royal Baby Effect. As Kate and Wills have decided three is the magic number, here’s one I’d like to see… The Royal birth would be a wonderful time for the Government to stop aggressively penalising other state supported parents who have three children.