The Phil Woolas fiasco should not blind us to one important fact: The influence of extreme Islamists on our body politics is increasing and ought to be diminished.
Not for nothing does the MPAC claim it has now 'decapitated' four Labour MPs for their apparent support for the Iraq war and apparent 'Zionist' sympathies.
As the MPAC website states: "Operation Muslim Vote has not only produced stunning victories for the Ummah, it has shown us a glimpse of a better future insh’Allah."
In MPAC's particular world-view, both Gordon Brown and Tony Blair are deemed racists:
"Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, both stirred the political pot of religion and racism, the latter wading in to Jack Straw’s niqab row with gusto. It seems every Labour minister was scrambling over the backs of others to attack Islam and Muslims."
"Meanwhile, the enemies of Islam are still circling in politics and the media. They are trying to force Muslims to adopt an Islam which is servile to the West, a designer Islam that can be picked up and taken off like a pair of Jimmy Choos."
But MPAC's influence was not just felt at the last election: In 2005, MPAC were also well known for their campaign in unseating the then Rochdale MP, Lorna Fitzimons, unhappy at her views on the Middle East. (You can read more about this in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on anti-semitism. Paragraphs 140-143 make particularly interesting reading).
If it were just MPAC, that would be dangerous enough. In London's Tower Hamlets however, we have just witnessed the election of new Mayor Lufthur Rahman - described in the Evening Standard as allegedly having links to the Islamic Forum of Europe. Expelled by the Labour Party (to its credit) - but inevitably supported by Ken Livingstone - Mr Rahman's election shows the influence of extreme Islamism at its most effective. Without doubt, MPAC, Respect movement and a host of other organisations, will be extremely active in the forthcoming London-wide election and the fundamentalist drum will be beating hard.
In 2015, candidates in marginal seats will face this ever increasing threat from the likes of MPAC. Make no mistake, they will be even better organised, and better financed than ever before. If you doubt that, just read their websites and forum pages.
