IN A SPIN OVER SPANISH RACISM

Funny how the mind works; how it moves and connects.

The saddest thing I’ve seen for some time was the picture of Spanish racists blacked up to provoke Lewis Hamilton.

The FIA, the body that governs Formula One racing, says any repetition will result in serious sanctions.

An expected and reasonably laudable statement. But not good enough to combat this virulent form of racism. The FIA needs to say, ‘Right – no Spanish grand prix this year. No second chance. If you’re good we might reinstate it next year.’

Hit them in the pocket, hit their pride, and only then will the Spanish authorities make sure the animals aren’t allowed to roam freely.

There is a sad history of racism on mainland Europe. Italian football supporters are just as bad as the Spanish thugs. And in some Eastern European countries racism is endemic.

We Brits are, on the whole (bar a few sad exceptions), wonderfully tolerant of the different races that flock to our shores. And, I suspect, the more cosmopolitan we become, the less racism there will be.

There’s only one thing that worries me. Not only is racism endemic in parts of Europe – so is crime. Vicious crime. Gun crime.

I noticed that two of the Securitas robbers jailed for their part in the £53million heist were Albanian nationals. And most of the villains involved in the so-called sex-slave and people-trafficking industries in the UK seem to be of Eastern European descent.

I’m not being racist – but surely a way can be found to get rid of the bastards!