This is indeed a clash of civilisations, not between Islam and Christendom but between reason and superstition.

But the single overwhelming reason why jails are bursting is longer sentences given for more crimes.

But instead of standing up for reason, our government is handing education over to the world of faith.

There is all the difference in the world between teaching children about religion and handing them over to be taught by the religious.

The strongest predictor of unhappiness is anyone who has had a mental illness in the last 10 years. It is an even stronger predictor of unhappiness than poverty - which also ranks highly.

My mother begged doctors to end her life. She was beyond the physical ability to swallow enough of the weak morphine pills she had around her. When she knew she was dying I promised to make sure she could go at a time of her choosing, but it was impossible. I couldn't help.