[Gay State Conservative]

In fact, calling them courts lend legitimacy to them, when in fact they are little more than barbaric ‘cultural’ police active within their own community (which is a very, very small minority when compared to the population of the UK).

My reading of this piece suggests that these "courts" (or whatever they should be called) have a fair amount of authority.The reference to them deciding issued regarding child contact is particularly intriguing.In the US such issues are decided by judges appointed/elected (some states elect their judges and in some they're appointed by the Governor) under the laws of that state.I'm not challenging you here...being a foreigner a long way from Blightey I'm in no position to do so.It's just that things we hear here,along with at least parts of this piece,seem to be at odds with what you're saying.

I would just urge some solidarity, recognising that my country (as others) has a problem to be tackled.

Agreed.But,practically speaking,what can I,a foreigner in your land,do to demonstrate that solidarity? It seems to me that it's largely,if not entirely,up to those who can vote in local and Parliamentary elections to straighten things out...just as it's the responsibility of American voters to straighten us out.I'm all ears if you have ideas that have escaped me on this point.

Finally, again, RIP to the fallen hero.

Agree 100%! Is there any chance that your PM might attend his funeral? Seems to me that it would be the right thing for him to do.And Milliband too,for that matter!

[the scotsman]

1—They are civil courts, and legally surbordinate to English law.

2—Whether the PM/Milliband does will of course be for the family to decide. If they say yes, there would be outrage if they didnt.

[Smartisan]

Thanks for your reasoned points. My apologies if I responded beforehand in an excitable manner, not how I normally go about things.

I appreciate your response. I would again suggest that there is no ‘official’ Sharia court or Law in the UK. It does not supercede Common Law anywhere.

However the authority they gain is from the local culture/society. If they are willing to subsume themselves within a non-democratic misogynistic dictat, then they can and indeed do so.

That there are ‘courts’ in the UK that practice and implement Sharia law is an issue, and largely down to the laissez faire approach to multiculturalism UK governments have adopted over the past couple of generations. I would again stress, that we are talking about 5% of the country (UK) as being a problem.

Recent UK immigration figures have us at a record (and talking over a 10-15 year period) low, indeed we have closed many loop holes for foreigners to come in and abuse our land. There are many battles left to fight, but progress of sorts is being made.

Unofficial Sharia ‘courts’ or judgements are a problem our Home Secretary has to tackle. I do believe however that she is capable of perhaps doing a better job than her predecessors. We shall see...

Again, thanks for your point, apologies if I reacted out of hand. Discussion is never a bad thing and raising difficult questions, if we want to hear them or not, if one of the cornerstones of our (shared) culture. Thanks.