The UK has a segregation problem. When we open our eyes we can see it. We see it when we visit our schools, we see it when we walk round our neighbourhoods, we see it when we look at our friends. By age, income and race - our country divides every morning and every evening.

The right to insult means we should have the right to express our views ‎without fear of prosecution, even if they happen to insult someone. What it surely doesn't mean is ‎the obligation to intentionally trample upon people's sensitivities.

Back in June 2011, the government presented their policy on counter terrorism - sold to us as the new Prevent strategy (what I call Prevent 2.0)- which supposedly signified a radical shift from Labour's approach to stopping extremism.

Bonnie Greer was right: we have multiple identities; we are a multi-cultural, multi-national, multi-racial state. We should be proud of this and follow our centuries-long tradition of appreciating difference and allowing that difference to enrich our own lives.

There will be differences of opinion and approaches in tackling this. But the constant demonisation of Muslims and their institutions by the media, and the lacklustre response by the Westminster political class to anti-Muslim intolerance, is not helpful.

It's been a busy year for identity politics in Britain. Most recently, millions have watched the woman of My Tram Experience express her opinion on who is and isn't British in the UK today.

With the government speaking of moving away from 'state multiculturalism' and towards integration, the question of how to bring faiths and communities closer together, how to tackle tensions and build understanding, becomes more urgent.