I long ago lost faith in Diane Abbott but her reprimand of Ed Miliband in yesterday’s Guardian was her finest hour.

When a Labour leader starts questioning the numbers of West Africans in Thurrock to ingratiate himself with the locals, then we really know this country is heading into dangerous and disturbing territory. If you couple it with the unbelievable statements made by Northern Ireland’s First Minister Ken Robinson about Muslims, you can only shake your head in desperate despair.

We were warned the recession would bring about civil strife and something very ugly is beginning to raise its head throughout the world.

I believe in a tolerant society but that should not extend to tolerating discrimination.  We must stand up against it wherever it occurs, whatever the cost.

As guardians of freedom of expression, we have a huge part to play. The entire arts world paid a terrible price for the Birmingham Rep’s disgraceful failure to stand up to the violent protests against BEHZTI. We must never allow anything like it to happen again.

- See more at: http://www.birminghamstage.com/blogs/neal_foster/2014/05/30/diane-abbott/#sthash.lMgVeAzQ.dpuf