It may have appeared this week that the Archbishop of Canterbury dropped a clangger on the topic of Islamic Law.
I actually think he has beem deliberately missinterpreted by the media. The Right Rev Rowan Williams is a highly intelligent, considerate man and from what I can tell has been shocked by the react to his comments.
Obviously any debate containing the subject of Sheria Law is going to be ‘charged’ by preconceptions… I don’t think many people in this country intend the rule of law to be different for one group than for another. The Archbishop didn’t either I’m sure.
As far as I’m concerned if a given community want to behave and govern themselves by a voluntary set of rules thats fine if it doesn’t break UK law and if all parcipitants agree to it.
We live in a multicultural soceity and integretation means that all groups must make an effort to understand and accomidate the traditions and customs of each other. But we can only have one set of Laws… and we have Parliament to change or amend. That’s the Bristish way.