Many official bodies, including Town Councils and even the Scottish Parliament, refused to use Christmas cards with any religious pictures or messages. A London council distributed a magazine with symbols of every religion on its cover except Christianity and a church in Buckinghamshire was refused a space on the community's notice-board.

A Christmas CD that was produced by a children's hospital for charity - and mentioned the name of Jesus - was banned. The spokesman for the hospital concerned said, "If it went to every child it could cause offence to those who are not Christians."

If men go on a 'pub-crawl' for charity, it is considered hilarious if they go dressed as nuns. None would dream of going dressed in a burkha. That would be offensive...

Such things are happening in a country where the number of regularly-worshipping Muslims is set to equal the number of regularly-worshipping Christians by the year 2039 - which isn't many. Mind you, a short time ago, there was a national poll that asked everyone what religion they had - and 71% said 'Christian'. The jury is still 'out' as to what they meant.

The European Union has not mentioned Christianity at all in its draft constitution - thus denying the debt of Europe to Christianity.

I doubt if this is the sort of 'secularism' that is wanted. I can only quote a sensible community leader in London who called what was going on "political-correctness gone mad," and said, "This is Christmas time and the overwhelming majority of people in this country are Christians. If people want to celebrate, then they should have the right, as should minority groups." He is a British Muslim - Baashir Maan. Now that is the spirit of true British tolerance. It is a pity that other Brits seem to be losing it.