I’m not generally given to outbursts of patriotic fervor about Britain. But I felt a glimmer of pride when I first heard that my homeland had blackballed Michael Savage. Good for us, I thought. Why should we not tell that brash loudmouth war-lover to get lost? I felt the same way when we sealed our borders against another nefarious publicity-addict, Geert Wilders.

Then, however, I read Home Secretary Jacqui Smith’s preachingly PC statement explaining the decision. And I felt a bit sick.

Coming to the UK is a privilege and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life,” Secretary Smith said. “Therefore, I will not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views as I want them to know that they are not welcome here.

“The government opposes extremism in all its forms and I am determined to stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country. This is the driving force behind tighter rules on exclusions for unacceptable behavior.

Nevermind, for now, the authoritarian tone and Stalinist language. This talk of “unacceptable behaviour” is from a woman who has serially ripped off taxpayers with absurd expense claims . Among other frauds, Smith has awarded her husband–a man who was recently exposed for paying to view porn films with the public purse–a 40, 000 pound-a-year job as her assistant, and neglected to declare it.

We should keep out the puerile and idiotic Mr Savage, by all means, but let’s not let Jacqui Smith seize the moral high ground. Kick her out, too, and her masturbating husband.