I have written before on CentreRight about my support for the State of Israel. I believe that that support is a balanced one, in which I am willing to be a critical friend when constructive criticism is needed.
But sometimes a story emerges that requires outright condemnation. On this occasion, the condemnation goes to the British Government. The government - our government, supposedly representing you and me in its interaction with people abroad - wants to label goods as coming from the Jewish settlements in the West Bank, so as to help consumers boycott them.
As it happens, I have misgivings about the settlements and think that those who call for a return to old borders have a point. But only people with no sense of history could think it unobjectionable to start branding Jewish goods like this.
Perhaps we should expect little else from those who don't shudder at the notion of creating a "Justice" Ministry. But even with that sort of crass ignorance of connotation and sense, I thought that the bright spark who suggests slapping little yellow stars on Jewish products might have sounded alarm bells somewhere.
Alex Deane is the Director of Big Brother Watch, a campaign from the TaxPayers' Alliance