Actually I can believe the Scottish police bending over backwards to apologise over something so pathetic. They are only really good at pandering to silly minorities or catching drivers speeding in a 30mph zone. When it comes to teenage yobs or street crime, or just speaking plain common sense on a matter, they are nowhere to be seen.

On the puppy-in-the-postcard case, whatever happened to the "it's their country, respect its customs and traditions" that we foreigners tolerate on a daily basis in this part of the world? Why must these people be so easily offended? I've never known so much offense caused to so many by so little. The British have opened too many gates and are about to lose their values. There should be a 'Secular Constitution' explaining precisely what British values are and it needs to be written down in STONE before things get out of hand; if they aren't already. The dubious doctrine of multi-culturalism is little more than a sticking plaster on the gaping wound of mass immigration thirty years ago that was never really thought through. It looks fabulous on glossy leaflets from the British Council about how modern we are in the UK but in practice it sucks.

What upsets me is that ordinary people in the UK who feel this way and who aren't necessarily very articulate or weasely with words try to say this but it just comes out sounding all racist; they are vilified by the chattering classes as mere 'Sun and Mail readers' which implies a room-temperature IQ and a Comprehensive education; but actually these people are naturally friendly and perhaps a little shy with it: they are just concerned at what they see is a lack of flexibility. A way to illustrate such inflexibility would the vegetarian who comes to my house and insists on a salad. I want to give it to her, as she is my friend and I don't want to upset her. Yet, I am never able to ask for a steak when I visit hers.. After a while, it starts to p*ss me off, but I don't know how to tell her, since it would make me sound 'not tolerant'.

I myself have been at middle class dinner parties in the Home Counties and expressed this sentiment and people look at me like I'm a white supremacist. I point out that I live in the Middle East and don't read the Sun, and that helps my hosts to open up a bit. (sometimes they will admit similar sentiments somewhat the way in rebels in a communist state recognise fellow conspirators - quietly and behind closed doors.)

To take this vegetarian example and put it into context, it would mean my friend the veggie will say "I made you your favourite sirloin. I don't know how you can touch that stuff, but enjoy it anyway". But, what are the chances of that?