Archbishop of Canterbury defends sharia remarks

Rowan Williams, who is the head of the worldwide Anglican church, had suggested that, in the interest of social cohesion, Britain's 1.7 million Muslims should be given the choice to have civil matters, such as marriage, divorce, or financial issues, dealt with under the provisions of sharia.
Muslims should no longer be forced to choose between the "stark alternatives of cultural loyalty or state loyalty," the archbishop was quoted by DPA as saying.
The idea was condemned by all three main political parties and received a mixed reception from Muslim organizations.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown believed that British law, based on British values, should apply, a spokesman said in response to the suggestion made by Williams Thursday.
On Friday, David Blunkett, a former home secretary and prominent member of the government of Tony Blair said ...