Marcus Wood

Why you won't catch me talking about race.

Not because Patrick Mercer has been sacked for the 'unfortunate' phrasing of his comments on ethnic minority soldiers; well not directly because of it.

The temperature of debate in politics can sometimes get just too hot to be any use. At such a point carrying on any serious debate becomes pointless because all sides are just not listening. Global warming is a good example of where anyone who just happens to question the current consensus is promptly vilified in the media for being a) wantonly irresponsible and b) obviously in the pay of the oil companies.

Such is the fever in the media just now about Muslim extremism, immigration and multi-culturalism that any attempt to make any point on any side of the debate becomes seriously counter-productive.

But it is a pity that matters of concern to ordinary people in their daily lives can become too hot to handle for the elected representatives they have chosen to speak up on their behalf.