While “islamisation” can still seem a remote possibility here - it is a terrifying reality in Malaysia - as Tuesday night’s Foreign Correspondent, of all things, on ABC TV, demonstrated. Islam, where it can get the upper hand, denies equal justice to non-muslims - this is what many of us are starting to worry about. And it can start by getting the upper hand in local areas.

We must defend the integrity of our institutions, and not allow the slightest accomodation of islamic law by the organs of the state - even at council level. I remember being told at high school that the Nazi’s exploited the freedom allowed them by the Weimar Republic, in order to destroy it. Our freedom should not leave us defenceless.

We claim to right to assess Islam for ourselves, and to reach the conclusion that it cannot reconcile itself to the principle of the separation of church and state, or of equal justice for all citizens regardless of religion or sex. Therefore it is a threat to our liberty, which will oppose at a political level. Whatever you may call us.

As I wrote last week, people who are concerned about this should be running for council in areas of high muslim population, in order to stand up for equal rights for the non-muslim residents who remain in those areas (though obviously you’d have to express yourself shrewdly and carefully).

This is a wonderful country - we retain sovereignty and liberty, at least for now. I’m delighted that we are “20 years behind Europe” when it comes to dhimmitude. May we never catch up.