IT HAS become a widespread reaction to label anti-hate activists and those who stand against prejudice “politically correct.” Given the examples of racism paraded with sensationalist headline-grabbing horror by the press, this is perhaps not surprising.

Only last week we watched mainstream media tie itself up in knots wondering if Marks and Spencer’s bra colours are making a covert racial statement while Tesco shoppers vowed to boycott the supermarket in retaliation for sales of a child’s T shirt depicting a pretty black mermaid whose hair was apparently “too fluffy.”

Headlines like this do nothing to tackle the growing problem of racism and hate in our country. If anything they actually turn people away from tackling genuine issues of inequality and prejudice. While the focus is on this nonsense the real racists are busy spewing their bile to the young and the vulnerable in an attempt to recruit and radicalise more people to their extremist way of thinking.