It’s not often noted that the taboo on discussing racial issues goes both ways. While critics of immigration must often tap-dance around their objections to multiculturalism, all but the most gormless of open borders advocates tend to be reluctant to accuse their opponents of racism in response. It’s therefore refreshing to hear a liberal flatly state that anybody who objects to Islam is engaging in what is ‘basically racism’. That was the claim of Rory Stewart, responding to an amusingly softball question from Oli Dugmore on a recent New Statesman podcast.

The irony is that Stewart’s attack on those critical of Islam hinges on exactly the sort of parochial ignorance that he accuses others of

The irony is that Stewart’s attack on those critical of Islam hinges on exactly the sort of parochial ignorance that he accuses others of

Stewart had been invited to reflect on what Dugmore called ‘the animosity that exists in much of our politics’ towards Muslims. This is amid the backdrop of the war in Iran, but more proximately the shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy’s objections to mass Muslim prayers in Trafalgar Square, which had taken place as part of Ramadan.

While video has largely not been a worthwhile addition to podcasting, it is worth seeing Stewart’s lip curling in contempt at the question’s targets. ‘This idea that somehow Islam itself is a kind of inherently bad religion and other religions are sort of inherently good is completely demented,’ he says.

Particular targets for his ire were the ‘the far right in Britain or all those people on social media who are talking about “Judeo-Christian values”.’ This includes the AfD in Germany, who have been open in discussing a remigration policy that could see........

© The Spectator