Keeping a sense of perspective

It seems utterly abhorrent that anyone could utilise the tragedy that occurred in Paris just a few short days ago to target people based on the colour of their skin, religion or perhaps the way they dress.

Blaming someone on the bus or banning a section of the community from a hairdressers for what happened in France is as mad as it is sad. We are a nation that has welcomed immigrants from near and far throughout our history and continue to need to seek the most skilled and innovative people to keep us vibrant and competitive.

There may well be justifiable debates required about the scale of immigration for practical and economic reasons, but this is no reason to allow people to vilify others for the actions of a mad few.

We are a welcoming and friendly people and this is a time for sense, calm and, above all else, mourning – mourning for a world in which we seem not to learn the lessons of the past, the lessons of how terror cannot prevail.

Radicalism of any kind cannot be allowed to fester or be a conduit to the kind of acts we saw in Paris at the weekend, but we also must keep a sense of perspective and enable free speech, within the parameters of the law. I may not agree with what you say, but I will absolutely defend your right to say it.

These are extreme and horrible times, butwe need to keep that sense of perspective, integrity and honour and welcome those from afar who join us legally or from persecution and wish only to live peacefully and contribute to our society. Decency must prevail.

“We are a nation that has welcomed immigrants from near and far throughout our history”