We have really failed as a nation if young people brought up in a liberal society are being seduced by terror groups.
The horrific terror attack in London last week that killed Cambridge graduates Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones has rightly raised questions about our security and rehabilitation programmes.
But we need to focus on why some young people from Pakistani backgrounds are vulnerable to extremist ideology in the first place.
And to do that, we need to get into their living rooms. And see what’s on their telly.
Digital TV is offering all kinds of channels that can radicalise young people, encouraging anti-British feelings and behaviour.
And I know about this, being born and bred here to Pakistani immigrant parents.
I grew up watching Asian films and while I loved the songs, beautiful women and clothes, I was also traumatised by the blatant sexism, misogyny, rape and domestic violence in these films.
So we need to be getting Mary Whitehouse about it. And not afraid of offending people or being branded racist for doing so.
In 2010, Ofcom ruled that the Islam Channel, a London-based broadcaster, broke rules for advocating marital rape and violence against women.
This is a station that claims to have over one million viewers daily and reaches 59 per cent of British Muslims.
It was investigated not because of viewer complaints but because of an Asian journalist. Where have the reviews of this channel been since?
Letting this kind of content go unchallenged means children are soaking up harmful, dangerous ideas and images every day.
If mainstream TV channels are monitored to protect kids with watershed restrictions, where are the same checks?
I am proud that Britain is a multicultural society. But over the past 40 years, I’ve seen different cultures living side by side, with little interaction and integration.
Some people have gone out of their way to take advantage of the liberal nature of British people.
It’s not just down to telly, of course. If you are from a disadvantaged background, you can be more easily groomed by an extremist group.
And if you can’t have the same freedoms as someone else, you get angry and resentful.
But these shows feed off that anger and those feelings of being different.
So it’s time for us to stop being apologetic for our British values and to start becoming more interested in other communities.
Stop the ignorance, break down cultural barriers – and pull the plug on TV channels that promote hatred.
