Policy exchange, still classy:
I am writing to ask you to retract an offensive dossier that Policy Exchange has been privately circulating condemning the Global Peace & Unity Event scheduled for the coming weekend in London.
This is the fourth year of this conference. It will be attended by 30,000 people and is geared towards promoting harmony and dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims.
The Policy Exchange briefing I have seen seeks to raise alarm over a number of the speakers planning to attend the conference. The accuracy of the allegations is variable, with a notable lack of evidence to support many of the claims.
In particular I was appalled to see ‘evidence’ quoted from the Society for American National Existence, an organisation which seeks to make the practice of Islam illegal, punishable by 20 years in prison. I need hardly point out how illogical it is to attempt to criticise one set of extreme views by citing another.
The Policy Exchange briefing I have seen seeks to raise alarm over a number of the speakers planning to attend the conference. The accuracy of the allegations is variable, with a notable lack of evidence to support many of the claims.
In particular I was appalled to see ‘evidence’ quoted from the Society for American National Existence, an organisation which seeks to make the practice of Islam illegal, punishable by 20 years in prison. I need hardly point out how illogical it is to attempt to criticise one set of extreme views by citing another.
The amusingly titled “SANE” is the home of Dave Gaubatz, Saddam WMD truthie beloved of Crazy Mel. Mr Gaubatz also claims that the US is deploying death rays in Iraq.
A lib dem blogger examines PE’s billet doux here. Weak stuff; and a curious mixture of standard media sources and fringe outlets like SANE and Front Page. In part, it looks like an attempt to launder far right extremism in a privately circulated briefing for politicians. They don’t call it Policy Exchange for nothing.
Dear Boris...
The amazing thing about PX is quite how shit they are at what they do, and the degree of success they manage to manufacture out of the shit.
Posted by: Tom | October 26, 2008 at 09:54 PM
HP ran this one a while back. I don't know how much of the PX hymn sheet they're singing from - I couldn't find their post when I looked (although I can't say I tried very hard).
Posted by: Phil | October 26, 2008 at 10:07 PM
It's this one.
One of the objects of their ire is Imran Khan, the cricketer.
Posted by: Simon | October 26, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Ta. No SANE, but some of those links are very partisan (and one of them's Carol Gould).
Posted by: Phil | October 27, 2008 at 08:08 AM