An essay from Polly Toynbee, writing in the Guardian.

A couple of excerpts:

Blair has appeased and prevaricated. Now, as the death cult strikes again, he must oust religion from public life.

and

It is time now to get serious about religion - all religion - and draw a firm line between the real world and the world of dreams. Tony Blair has taken entirely the wrong path. He has appeased, prevaricated and pretended, maybe because he is a man of faith himself, with a Catholic wife who consorts with crystals. But never was it more important to separate the state from all faiths and relegate all religion to the private - but well-regulated - sphere.