Is racism now worse than murder? A few weeks ago I heard about a couple of cases which, if accurately reported, gave me great concern about the politicised nature of our criminal justice system.

It was reported that there had recently been an instance where family members who had allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered an infant had been granted bail. Wouldn’t any ordinary ‘right-thinking’ member of the public expect automatic remand in custody?

Compare that case with the remand of the accused in a hyped incident where a perhaps intoxicated young woman mouthed off offensive obscenities and racist comments on public transport, but no one was hurt (indeed, it would not even have been a criminal offence before the Public Order Act).

I ask rhetorically which one of these two offences would ordinary right-thinking members of the public imagine that the criminal justice system would take most seriously? You have only to ask the question to know the answer, but instead it would appear that the system prioritises targeting an offensive public rant even over the rape and murder of a small child.

Obviously the law of England should be properly enforced, but it should be done so in a way which accords with the democratic will of the people of our nation. Next November the public will have the opportunity to rebalance the way that law and order issues are dealt with by voting for law and order commissioners.

I intend to stand for election to be the Essex law and order commissioner, and I can assure your readers (and the public) that, if elected, it will be my mission to inject a healthy dose of good old-fashioned English common sense into a system where it currently appears to be absolutely lacking. I shall also try to focus the system on justice rather than politically correct social engineering.

Robin Tilbrook, solicitor, chairman of the English Democrats