There’s trouble in Ulster. Nothing new there then. But this isn’t a new wave of ‘knee-capping’ or sectarian violence, not even marching Orange-men. This is all about a subject much closer to my own heart (in oh so many ways, Doctor); cake.

A bakery in the Province was commissioned to make a wedding cake for a gay marriage. The bakers, being Christians, refused. This lot don’t approve of those who turn the other cheek. “We’re a Christian bakery” they said in that Gerry Adams way of pronunciation: ‘beyerkerry’; we don’t believe in gay marriage. Fine.

Or not fine. If someone wanted a Christmas cake with Santa Claus on it, would they refuse because they don’t believe in Father Christmas?

But Santa is not divisive. Nor is he protected by anti-discrimination laws. So the bakery is being fined and refuses to pay, obviously, and is now being backed by the church in their fight against the sodomites. As they probably see it.

Legal marriage in Northern Ireland, according to their laws, states that ‘it is between a man and a woman’. Therefore anything else is NOT legal marriage, therefore they don’t have to bake a sodding cake praising it.

But the last time I looked Northern Ireland is still part of Great Britain. That the whole point of it being there and occupying space on the news. Southern Ireland is Ireland, the Republic thereof, and has nothing to do with us. The Northern bit unfortunately belongs to us and therefore, slightly devolved government aside, must be subject to our rules. Britannia rules the waves and the cake shops.

I don’t care about the cake, I’ll have mine and eat it too. But I do have a problem with homophobia because its only practised by really horrible people. Like Russia. Saudi Arabia. ISIS. Nasty fascist regimes. Not in Britain where we are tolerant and nice. Except Chelsea fans. And West Ham fans. Who are neither.

On Saturday evening Manchester City looked like they were the best football team in the entire world. Last night they were humiliated by Barcelona. Again. Good. Much as I like to see English teams fare well in Europe, that only really applies to Tottenham. Lionel Messi, caught at a casino just 2 nights before the match at a very late hour, seemed unaffected by his excesses. Other than missing a penalty. If that’s Messi ‘a little worse for wear’ I’ll have him any day. He’d love to come to Spurs.

Happy Wednesday

A xxxx