Here’s the response of Guardian cartoonist, poor, dumb Steve Bell, to the Schiavo affair. Typical of Bell’s dim-witted daubings, the image is unfunny, ignorant, childish and crude. Many readers here will find it offensive, some deeply so, but most, I hope, would agree that Bell has the right to express himself in that way, and the Guardian has the right to pay him to do so.

At the same time, ask yourself this. Do you think that the Guardian would have run that sort of cartoon if it contained similar imagery mocking the faith of a Muslim or a Hindu leader?

Somehow I doubt it.