DESMOND Swayne MP, in his defence of Islam (Daily Echo, May 31), loftily dismisses a few “churchy” folk who send him “considered but misguided stuff peppered with quotes taken out of context from the Koran...”

Churchy folk, I’m afraid you are wasting your time. I remember a few years ago Mr Swayne's similar dismissal of local anxieties regarding the wearing of the full Islamic veil, pointing out that what might be of concern in Blackburn certainly wasn’t an issue in the New Forest.

Don’t worry folks, multiculturalism is not yet universal. Your own way of life in your corner of England will probably last your time!

A multicultural society – that concept so revered by the liberal elite – is in fact a contradiction in terms. A society must possess a good degree of cohesion.

In Britain today we have a number of different societies, each intent on promoting its own interests.

Inevitably there is tension between our long-established secular society and Islam.

Citizens of a secular society – be they religious, agnostic or atheist – accept that law derives from our system of Parliamentary Democracy, religion being a personal matter.

Theft is not illegal because “Thou shalt not steal” is one of the Ten Commandments; if that were the case, adultery and covetousness would also be against the law.

But for Muslims, religion and governance are, or are meant to be, the same thing, the Koran being the ultimate source of all authority.

These are two fundamentally different and ultimately incompatible ways of conducting human affairs. Our political leaders – Tory, Labour and Lib Dem – simply refuse to face up to this uncomfortable fact.

They all seem to be imbued with a kind of cultural death wish, which is why many of us have ceased to vote for them.

TERRY PARSONS, Hedge End.