Mary Glindon MP. British people determine British politics

British organisations such as unions, business groups, campaign bodies and others can put forward their views and lobby MPs and ministers to back their ideas. We can read or follow who we want in making our minds up.

But I feel sure most of us agree that an ignorant and bumptious billionaire abroad should not bully and rant his way to influencing our parliament and its decisions with smears. Or endanger the security and lives of any of our politicians.

I’m even feeling a little sorry for the Reform Party leader who’s a lesser victim of the blowhard who thinks he should be sacked from his position.

Yet that is what we have seen in recent weeks and may endure for some time. It is unacceptable and the Prime Minister was right to expose it.

As for the heartbreaking issue the billionaire is cynically exploiting, cool heads are needed. Various national and local reports have exposed terrible incidents of child sex abuse, including mass rape gangs.

Some have been committed in Christian churches and some have been committed by small groups of Pakistani-heritage men. Each of these cases should be dealt with by the full force of the law and don’t say anything wider about Christian and Muslim communities. Most people of faith refuse to condone the vile actions of those from the same faith.

The Conservatives have, however, gone from doing their job as an opposition to embrace opportunism by jumping on the bandwagon. The argument for another national inquiry is not unreasonable but only if it helps eliminate child sex abuse.

They commissioned a major report but failed to act on its detailed recommendations. That expert report is now being turned into action by the new government. It should get on with it.

There will be other controversies that should be argued through in the British parliament and by the British people. That is the right place for us to deal with such issues.