Putting through your own net

Success in party politics is very much about avoiding scoring own goals. Over the last three decades, the Nationalist parties that I have been a member of have been prolific own goal scorers which was probably something to do with the lack of our success.

Now, thankfully, we are gradually getting our act together and as we have become more successful, it is our opponents who are finding their own net with increasing regularity. Take yesterday's St Patrick's Day message which was presented by Pete Doherty instructing Britain's Irish community not to vote for the BNP at the GLA Elections on May 1st.

I'm no authority on Doherty's music. I was brought up on The Kinks and the Small Faces and my most played CDs of the moment are a box set by Matt Monro and the soundtrack from the film Brassed Off. But while I know nothing of his musical talents, I have seen him on television for his various court appearances, as have the majority of the UK population.

He gives the impression of being quite an objectionable fellow and I can't believe for the life of me how our opponents can believe that his pronouncement on the BNP would influence any right-thinking person to vote one way or the other.

DOHERTY: Scoring for the BNP while playing for the opposition.

Also supporting the anti-BNP St Patrick's Day statement was Billy Bragg, who signed off his most recent performance in East London by shouting to the audience: "I'm Billy Bragg, and I'm from Barking!"

Well if I had been there I would have shouted back "You're not from Barking, you liar - you live in a mansion in the poshest part of west Dorset!"

Muslim charities based in and around London meet the Charity Commission's Faith and Social Cohesion Unit (FSCU) today so Commission staff can explained how they can raise more money.

The delegates will hear from Ghulam Rasool, Head of the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit; and Yousif Al-Khoei from the newly launched Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) as well as representatives from the British Muslim Forum, Muslim College, and the Three Faiths Forum.

Ghulam Rasool, Head of the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit will report:

"Faith-based charities are one of the fastest growing elements of the voluntary sector, and we work hand in hand with the Muslim community to strengthen the governance of existing charities, and promote the valuable contribution they make to society."

On the same theme, Khurshid Ahmed, Current Chair of the Mosques and Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) will say:
"The Commission's new team will work closely with various Muslim organisations, charities and mosques, to ensure that governance within charities is strengthened, helping faith communities play their legitimate role in building a true and vibrant society, and advancing community cohesion."

"True and vibrant society? Advancing community cohension?" Maybe someone should tell that to the East London vicar still in hospital 12 days after being attacked outside his church by Muslim thugs.

The sole purpose of Charity Commission's Faith and Social Cohesion Unit is to channel funds into the Muslim community which don't appear to be coming from the Government so as not to antagonise the host population. But of course it's the long-suffering taxpayer that pays for the privilege of the Muslim Community having the Charity Commission's Faith and Social Cohesion Unit working on their behalf in the first place.