If there’s one thing that rankles more than most in these days of excessive liberalism and political correctness it’s the rank hypocrisy and double standards of those in positions of power, whether it be politicians, trades union bosses or leaders of our professions.

Last month the Law Society Gazette reported that leaders of six of the solicitors’ “black, Asian and minority ethnic groups” have written to the Justice Secretary demanding an immediate investigation into the “continuing number of disproportionate investigations into solicitors from minority backgrounds”. Basically, they feel that their members, non-whites, are being victimised.

As a regular reader of the Law society Gazette I can confirm that there often do seem to be a large and indeed “disproportionate” number of non traditional English names listed among those disciplined for fraud, money-laundering, stealing clients’ money, dipping their fingers in the till or whatever.  In fact, sometimes you’d be forgiven for thinking that ethnic minorities comprised the majority of the legal profession so prominent and numerous are their names in the disciplinary lists.

My understanding is that the guilty are either exposed by the complaints of their victims or by random Law Society checks. However, just to ensure that the system is fair to all, I agree that there should be a full and open independent investigation into the problem. Following the conclusion of that  investigation the results should be published without censor or doctoring so that the truth is there for all to see.

The investigation of crime should always be free from prejudice and the duty of the police or any investigative body,  must simply be to find the guilty and bring him or her to justice. Race, nationality, sex or skin-colour are irrelevant and in a democratic society all must be dealt with equally. Where there is crime deal with it and bring the perpetrators to justice whoever they may be. Sometimes crime statistics may well prove to be unpalatable but denial and allegations based on politically correct thinking are not going to change the facts.