QUENTIN LETTS: Mr Gove was as elaborately courteous as a head waiter

Michael Gove, at his most buttery, fluttered to the despatch field and introduced anti-extremism guidelines for teams who’re given authorities cash. The thought was to scale back hatred. In this sense the minister’s Commons assertion was not an on the spot success, for it made some MPs distinctly batey.

Imran Hussain (Lab, Bradford East), who could not essentially be one among life’s P G Wodehouse fans, spluttered one thing a couple of ‘draconian Tory agenda of tradition wars’ and accused Mr Gove of ‘politicising an essential challenge’.

Brother Imran has by no means politicised a minority grievance in his profession! As can occur when this lumbering agitator vents forth, he forgot to take satisfactory breath and was virtually wheezing by the tip of his contribution. It was like listening to somebody who realises he has simply swallowed a blisteringly sizzling cocktail sausage.

Labour‘s attraction squad – the bombastic Burgons and barely creepy Slaughters of this world – tried to make all of it about Tory donors. The Government was appearing in opposition to excessive Islamist and Nazi teams solely as a result of it was attempting to whip up aggro earlier than the final election and since it agreed with that Tory donor who was horrible about Diane Abbott.

Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove proclaims anti-extremism guidelines for teams who’re given authorities cash

An identical line was taken by the Scots Nats’ frontbencher Alison Thewliss, such a mild-mannered, curtseying soul when she arrived right here 9 years in the past however now as warped out of practice as one among Uri Geller’s fish knives. Maybe that is what Westminster does to you. Or possibly it is simply one thing it’s a must to do to outlive within the not totally beautiful SNP.

Mr Gove deplored partisanship; did so, what’s extra, in an elaborately courteous means, like a head waiter regretting that there isn’t any mint garnish on the petits-pois. Nothing annoys zealots as a lot as politeness. The different night, I used to be chatting to Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg on the street when a passing youth threw some verbal mince his means. ‘Why, thanks a lot,’ murmured Sir Jacob. The youth stomped off in a good purpler rage.

George Galloway (Workers’ Party, Rochdale) argued that ‘extremists’ had been typically pioneers of liberty. There was a former Speaker of the Commons, as an illustration, who wore a ‘hold Nelson Mandela’ T-shirt in the identical period that Mr Galloway and his good friend Jeremy Corbyn (Ind, Islington N) had been opposing the apartheid regime in South Africa. Who was the true extremist in that equation?

Mr Gove cited ‘Milton’s Areopagitica’ as his inspiration. Mr Hussain’s nostril twitched. Then twitched a second time. Whoever Milton Whojermaflip was, Mr Hussain didn’t like the man. Was he a Tory donor?

Repeatedly Mr Gove stated his measures had been merely about stopping iffy outfits from receiving public cash. But why do we want a codified coverage to cease that? Is it as a result of civil servants will obey ministers provided that there may be revealed steering?

Several Tories expressed doubts. Mark Logan (Bolton NE) was ‘frightened a couple of slippery slope’ in opposition to free speech. Ditto Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) and the courageous Miriam Cates (Penistone and Stocksbridge).

‘Divisions should not be exploited for political acquire,’ averred James Sunderland (Con, Bracknell). How touching. But division is within the marrow of politics and nobody performs the sport extra filthily than the Left.

Dimwit shadow Commons chief Lucy Powell tried it earlier at enterprise questions. Penny Mordaunt, her reverse quantity, responded with a speech of sustained, imperious, pulverising aggression. Worth watching on Parliament TV. Poor Powell. Each week it occurs. She should dread Thursdays. Time on your journey to the abattoir, Lucy.

For the third time this week the Commons was subjected to tributes to Tommy McAvoy, a someday Labour MP and Whip who ended up within the House of Lords and has simply died. Ms Powell referred to as him ‘extremely revered and revered’. Er, the late Tommy was a infamous heavy, and menaced Labour MPs who dared query the occasion line. Ms Mordaunt went by the motions in saluting this fallen warrior of the reality, however fairly spoilt it by calling him ‘Tony’.