Pat Dollard

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Telegraph:

The Archbishop of Canterbury has been widely criticised after he called for aspects of Islamic sharia law to be adopted in Britain.

Dr Rowan Williams said that it “seems inevitable” that elements of the Muslim law, such as divorce proceedings, would be incorporated into British legislation.

The Archbishop’s controversial stance has received widespread criticism from Christian and secular groups, the head of the equality watchdog, several high-profile Muslims and MPs from all parties.

Amid the storm of protest, Downing Street moved quickly to distance itself from the Archbishop’s remarks, insisting that British law would and should remain based on British values.

A spokesman for Mr Brown said: “Our general position is that sharia law cannot be used as a justification for committing breaches of English law, nor should the principles of sharia law be included in a civil court for resolving contractual disputes.

“If there are specific instances like stamp duty, where changes can be made in a way that’s consistent with British law and British values, in a way to accommodate the values of fundamental Muslims, that is something the Government would look at.

“But the Prime Minister believes British law should apply in this country, based on British values.”

Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, said Dr Williams was “wrong” to advocate the adoption of elements of sharia law.

“This isn’t a path down which we should go. The system, the British legal system, should apply to everybody equally. You cannot run two systems of law along side each other. That in my view would be a recipe for chaos, social chaos,” he said on BBC1′s Question Time.

“British law has to be based on British values. If people choose to live in this country, they choose to abide by that law and that law alone. It has got to be fundamental and a cornerstone of our country and our democracy that everybody is equal before that one system of British law.”

The storm of protest which started after the Archbishop’s comments on the BBC’s The World at One shows no signs of abating.

“The Archbishop’s thinking here is muddled and unhelpful,” said Trevor Phillips, the chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

“Raising this idea in this way will give fuel to anti-Muslim extremism and dismay everyone working towards a more integrated society.”

Baroness Warsi, the shadow minister for community cohesion and social action, said: “The Archbishop’s comments are unhelpful and may add to the confusion that already exists in our communities.

“All British citizens must be subject to British laws developed through Parliament and the courts.”

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Times Online: The Archbishop of Canterbury came under fierce attack last night from the Government, his own Church and other religions after he advocated the adoption of parts of Sharia, or Islamic law, in Britain.