France's distinctive take on secularism is once again making headlines. A sacred virtue of the ‎Republic, it is unquestionable within the hexagon where political careers are built on its defence. ‎But a recent case is causing controversy. The decision by France's High court (Court of Cassation) to ‎overturn the dismissal...

When news broke that Lord Ahmed had allegedly blamed Jews for his 12-week stint behind ‎bars for killing a man through reckless driving, I tweeted my disgust with his blatant expression ‎of prejudice. Many Muslims echoed my sentiments. ‎

That's why Mehdi Hasan latest blog "The...

‎When Sarah approached her manager at a large media company about taking maternity ‎leave, she found herself bargaining over the duration: "I knew I wanted six ‎months to be with my son, but she immediately started talking me down, saying four months ‎was plenty. I felt pressured to agree to...

Is France's military intervention in Mali a neo-colonial enterprise, dressed up in the conveniently ‎nebulous language of the 'war on terror'? France's less than gleaming record in the region - ‎with 50 military interventions, since the 50 years of independence in 14 francophone African ‎countries - has left many questioning...

Carnegie Endowment senior associate Marina Ottoway recently argued that the only question ‎facing Egypt's faltering democratic transition "is whether it will be the tyranny of the Islamist ‎majority or that of the secular minority".‎

Since the fall of Mubarak, Ottoway argues that an 'islamist majority', with popular support,...

Yesterday's interim report on Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) has reignited debate over 'asian sex ‎gangs' and whether the PC brigade are impeding the police from identifying the variable of race as ‎relevant. In a debate with Tory MP David Davis on BBC Radio 2 yesterday, he put to...

Writing on the latest conflict in Gaza, I'm reminded of the extent to which media coverage of a ‎given issue can significantly shape its perception, even when that coverage runs counter to facts.

‎Hamas' status as an international pariah, means that the lack of sympathy reserved for an ‎organisation...

Comic Rowan Atkinson has reignited debate over free speech this week through his campaign to ‎repeal part of Section 5 of the 1986 Public Order Act, which outlaws "threatening, abusive or ‎insulting words or behaviour that is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress". Specifically, ‎Atkinson believes, and...

Muslims eh, they just cant seem to take a joke can they? It would be very easy to cast, as many ‎commentators have, the latest riots in response to the islamophobic film, as another example of ‎intolerant Muslims lacking a funny bone. The Rushdie affair, the Danish cartoons, the murder...

In a recent interview with the Evening Standard, William Hague argued that Britain needs to get ‎over its feelings of "post-colonial guilt", stating that we have a "new and equal partnership" with ‎countries unburdened by our colonial past history. Apparently we all need to 'relax', because ‎Britain's empire...

Earlier this month, James Bloodworth wrote a blog for the Independent ‎comparing Islamophobia to a type of Orwellian doublespeak, designed to ‎shut down public debate. He joins a chorus of voices on the Left who reject ‎the term on grounds of the 'freedom to criticise' Islam.‎

Some on...

Yesterday saw a record low level of participation (48.31%) in France's legislative elections as 6500 candidates campaigned for 577 seats. People headed to the booths to choose between an average of ten candidates, including a number of smaller fringe parties such as the Pirate party and the Blank...

‎"Asian gangs, schoolgirls and a sinister taboo" read the Daily Mail headline in November 2010, ‎‎"Muslim gang jailed for kidnapping and raping two girls as part of their Eid celebrations" states ‎another of its salacious headlines in April this year, while the typically more demure Telegraph...

Wednesday night's presidential debate saw Socialist hopeful Francois Hollande pitted against ‎incumbent President, Nicolas Sarkozy on key points of the political agenda including nuclear ‎energy, the relationship with Europe and the economy. Hollande has marketed himself as the ‎candidate of 'change', the central concept in his slogan and the leitmotif...

France is turning "bleu-Marine", a play on words which refers to the National Front (FN)'s strong ‎showing in the first round of the French Presidential elections. 18% of the vote is the strongest ‎polling yet for Marine Le Pen's party, out-doing even her father's 16.9% in the 2002 elections, ‎where...

The riots of 2011 were a defining moment in modern British history. A recent study undertaken by the Guardian with the London School of Economics showed that despite claims of 'feral' gangs, the cause most often cited for the riots by rioters themselves, was poverty (86%), unemployment (79%)...

On the 101st International Women's Day - like many women, I'm faced with a mixed bag of emotions. I want to celebrate our achievements, our gains, our pioneers - but I've also just returned from a trip to Bangladesh which was a timely reminder of why we ought to be...

The case of Hamza Kashgari has entered a new and deeply worrying phase as Malaysian authorities have deported the 23-year-old journalist back to Saudi Arabia, where he currently risks execution.

There has been widespread and rightful opprobrium of the Saudi government's response but few seem to question the official...

The recent EU oil embargo against Iran follows the news that Britain, America and France are sending warships through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had threatened to close in response to growing sanctions. The strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz cannot be overstated, nor can the clear signals...