Holocaust Deniers: What To Do?

I've been to Holocaust memorials and I've listened to victims given speeches at special events I've attended with school. It seems ludicrous to question the Holocaust. And for those of us who believe it happened, it seems almost criminal to suggest that the suffering of millions of people did not occur.

But there are those who deny that the Holocaust was quite so bad or deny it happened at all. One such person has just landed in the United Kingdom. Germany, a partner country of ours within the European Union, has called for him to be extradited to them.

I fully understand the reason why Holocaust denial is one of the many things proscribed in Germany. Of all the places in the world they have the most reason to dislike apologists of the Nazi regime. But we live in a free country and people should be able to believe and speak about whatever they like. We have to refute them openly and not use the police to force them to be silent. Dr Gerald Toben is a vile man, but he has the right to be. So I hope we do not extradite him to Germany to face charges for Holocaust denial, and instead we politely ask him to get on a plane and leave as he is not a citizen of this country and we already have our quota of arseholes and bastards and we don't need any more, thank you very much.

In his court appearance earlier this week, Dr Toben, 64, claimed he was the victim of a "legal ambush" and promised never to return to Britain if he was allowed to leave.

And good riddances.

P.S. if he is not extradited if anyone wants to arrange a group meeting at his departure airport where we can fling insults at him I'd be happy to attend.