If I start a debate about cancel culture, will I be ‘cancelled’? Probably, ‘yes’. Because extremists (and the cancel thing is nothing if not the extreme end of the already horrible obsession for a totally PC world) have no sense of irony. In fact, if you have a sense of humour of any description (but for heaven’s sake, be very careful how you do choose your descriptors) you will probably be ‘called out’ and ‘cancelled’ already and thus not invited to join the most obsessive, intolerant, dictatorial, inflexible bunch of fascists who ever proclaimed left-wing leaning. Because the holy grails of that movement are inviolate. To such an extent that they become unmentionable with any kind of question mark attached. They are, quite simply, not open to debate.

JK Rowling tried to question a gender issue and was attacked, insulted and cancelled. Not that she gives a shit, quite rightly, and she continues to argue her side. Which no-one else will take up because of the ‘dangers’ which await on fucking Twitter. That could have a big effect if, unlike Ms Harry Potter, you don’t have a couple of bil in the bank.

Then there was the Eton school debacle where in a debate about feminism, a teacher role-played ‘the bad guy’, the one with opposing views. Banned from school, ostracised, probably hunted online by the morons who do such things. Feminism, a wonderful and noble thing, has been reduced to a set of rules-by-consensus, (which is fine), that are not open to any discussion (which is the opposite of fine).

And now, once more, we have Prophet-gate, up in Batley. Where we return to the deliciously circular, ridiculous question dilemma like the one at the very beginning this message. This time it reads: is it blasphemous to show examples of blasphemy in a blasphemy lesson? And because absolutely any issue anywhere can be ‘called out’ as ‘Islamphobia!’, there has been uproar. The school immediately suspended the teacher concerned. There have been protests every day by ‘concerned parents’ about this ‘blasphemy’ and ‘insult’.

And then someone showed some sense. The school board actually defended, subject to a little enquiry to check the context, the teacher. The government spoke up about free speech and the importance of debating uncomfortable subjects as educationally beneficial. And so the people who almost invented the extreme version of ‘cancel culture’ (just ask Salman Rushdie), are being frustrated in their attempts to see someone stoned to death over the matter.

Sometimes you need to step back, stay calm and consider the implications.

It’s enough to make you vote for Laurence Fox as Mayor.

Happy Saturday. May your clocks go forward and your matzos not constipate your movements.

A xxxx