Good for the Sheik to have the balls to take an obviously unsatisfactory judge to the Court of Appeal. After the judge had refused --surprise,surprise -to consider himself inappropriate. And very good for the Court of Appeal to "castigate" the judge .
It is crucial that we can all have confidence in impartiality at judgement. The repeated references to the Sheik's midlle eastern origin show not just a very poor sense of humour but a sneering inbuilt sense of cultural superiority which is totally unacceptable in the judiciary.

gerard, London,

The decision to remove the judge from this case was sensible. Regardless of whether his comments were truly racist, they gave reason for his impartiality in this case to be doubted.

Those who shriek "POLITICAL CORRECTNESS GONE MAD!!" would do well to read the whole article. He has not lost his job, and Lord Justice Ward said, "For my part I am totally convinced that [the judge's] jokes were not meant to be racist and I unreservedly acquit the judge of any suggestion they were so intended".

Peter Kelsall, Nottingham, UK

How about the judges remaining judges rather than becoming comedians? Nobody goes to court for some good laughs ...

alex, london,

To us superheo dads who have been either victim or McKenzie to much worse I offer the following:

" Your contact order with your son is meaningless"
(only drawn up by same judge and court 2 weeks earlier)

"You expect me to give my reasons for this order!!"

"You seriously expect this court to enforce its orders"

"Joint residence MR x? - This court does not do joint residence orders"

"Theres nothing we can do to make this mother co-operate" Then "what would you do? (to the father - amazing as if the father was able to sort it out he wouldnt be in the court).

then the ultimate piece de resistance:
"If you want a transcription of this case I suppose i'd better inform you now that the recording equipment is broken"

Time for F4JTubbies ...time for F4JTubbies!

John Beale, Bridgwater, Somerset

A judge is supposed to be professionally impartial. Globally it seems we have a problem with poor choices being made as to who sits on the Bench.

Karen, Adelaide, South Australia

"A Jewish judge (Peter Singer) involved in the divorce of a rich Arab? Bad judgement from the start in my view!"

Tariq Ali of Batley (is that in the Middle East?) is right. Jews shouldn't judge Arabs. And blacks shouldn't judge whites. In fact, in a white country, blacks shouldn't even judge blacks (O.J. Simpson). Mr Ali obviously thinks, like many of us, that multiculturalism is a depressing and unworkable minefield and that we should all stick to our own countries. Well said, old chap.

Lawrence, Liverpool, England

Sir,
It is surprising how many apparently fellow Brits on this site use the word "humor" is it not?

SC, London, United Kingdom

it might be very funny, but there's a time and a place for everything. Clearly if you are going to make a joke at someone's expense, a court of law is NOT the place to do it. I'm surprised that more wasn't made of; “at this relatively fast-free time of the year” . Very funny, but would the English find it so funny if a Saudi judge made a joke about 'crucifixation' around Easter at a Christians expense?

Simon Addinsell, London, United Kingdom

Adolf Hitler was "racially offensive".This man has either a sense of humour or likes to gently bait people.

Dean, Spain,

A Jewish judge (Peter Singer) involved in the divorce of a rich Arab? Bad judgement from the start in my view!

Tariq Ali, Batley,

A couple of jokes and a Saudi sheikh (is there any Saudi who isn't a sheikh) gets offended does he? Perhaps we might point out that the Saudi way of life, cutting off thieves hands, beheading, stoning and hanging teenaged girls for 'sex crimes', public executions every Friday before whooping mobs, demanding bribes to award contracts, and general medieval primitiveness in observance of human rights offends a lot of the world.

eric campbell, harrogate, uk

Another triumph for political correctness gone mad. Heaven help us from all these do good idiots ! Whatever has happened to satire ? When was it so wrong to have a laugh or poke a bit of fun at each other. It's no wonder that this country is in the state it's in. I've just come back from a holiday in Italy where they think we are mad because of the PC. When we people chill out ?

Martin, Heversham, England (And proud of it!)

Yet another victory for the thought police...

Richard, Norwich,

Jokes were funny. But all of you who think this is about political correctness are wrong. Sheikh thought the judge has already decided in favor of the wife. Why shouldn't he complain?

Igor, Ljubljana, Slovenia

There is always a thin line between humour and humiliation its ones duty to observe that one never crosses it

Chandini, Mumbai, India

Another triumph of political correctness over humour.

Roger Bower, Norwich,

"Judge dismissed after saying sheikh should 'depart on his flying carpet'"

That is ridiculous, i found the joke to be totally hilarious. It's just great British humor. Damn!

Mohammed, London, UK

Here dies wit, humour, analogy and the Irishman joke. Why oh why do we have to corrupt a way of life, thought, existance and humour to accomodate all. Before so long, every interllectual process God gave man, will be corrupted into an Aldous Huxley/Khmer Rouge way of thought.

.......For crying out loud!

Michael Randles, Birmingham, UK

Get a grip. It's a sad sad thing that so many Britons have been brain washed so much that they will immediately see the "harm" in these comments.
I suspect it was meant to inject some humor into the proceedings - I seriously doubt the Judge was itending these comments to be offensive.
If you can't laugh at yourself, you've got problems. If someone tries to be funny, and fails, and you can't inwardly groan, and quietly take the moral high ground, you need to check if you are actually the problem.

W Smith, Oldham,

This judge needs to be 're-educated' by the ministry of 'truth'.

Eugene, Chester, England

Personally I think the judgement was quite correct. 'Political correctness' is a daft term because it's all about fairness.

People have a right to be confident that they are being dealt with in a fair and unbiased way. If they are not then there are reasonable grounds for complaint.

That's same if you are up in front of a judge who might refer to you as a 'long haired git' or having your planning application heard by a local authority who refers to you as a 'greedy developer'

Both instances would suggest bias to the ordinary observer.

Robert, Hampshire, UK

You gotta laugh tho eh?

pete woodhouse, edinburgh, scotland

Rob and Sharon...are you for real?
In a court of law any perceived bias needs to be addressed. It is a very delicate balance. I'm not a Muslim or a Sheikh but can see how these remarks where wholly inappropriate and could affect the balance of a judgement.
I've started to have enough of these ignorant people blaming the whole of the world's ills on Political Correctness - get over it.

Sam, London,

The commets are curiously quite troubling as they suggest causal acceptance of the Judge's words even after he apologized. In addition to offence caused in any context, the fac this occurred in a court from a judge makes it a big deal. A person to whom such comments are directed cannot but suspect he will not get a fair trial before such a loose lip Judge. Do fair trials and impartial judges with fine temperament still matter in our judicial system..

Ros, St. Louis, Missouri USA

Imagine a Saudi judge making jokes about a Scottish defendent, about hiding money up his kilt or doing a disappearing act in Brigadoon. Would your average Marxist Lentilist cry foul? Of course not. Why? Because white liberals don't consider Scottish culture inferior to Middle-Eastern culture.

When cultural insensitivity cannot be applied equally, then clearly there is the perception of cultural inequality. When white liberals cry 'racism', they are often revealing their own innate racism. Just as it is insensitive to joke about the disabled, so it is insensitive to joke about those with 'inferior' cultures.

Eugene, Chester, England

Mr Justce Singer should not resign, what is wrong with us if, where isthe offence in what he said?

David, Lancaster, UK

The comment isn't racist. We have to stop, as a society, being terrified of insulting muslims and Islam and get some sense of proportion in these matters.

Sharon, London, UK

Out of the abundance of the heart does the mouth speak...

Annie, Cambridge, UK

Ludicrous political correctness. Carpets, sand, Turkish Delight... these casual remarks cause proceedings to grind to a halt as the Sheikh takes theatrical offence? Oh please.

Yes, let's all fall over backwards apologising, but perhaps one might pause to ask how was the Sheikh's case progressing before such terrible offence was given (and gratefully taken?)

And can The Times please change this misleading and incorrect story title. The use of the modal "should" gives an entirely false impression of what was actually said, as reported in the body of the story.

Rob, Dubai, UAE

was this written by the same writer of judge john deed.
reads like one of his stories.

george william taylor, hull, uk

It's interesting that this judge is castigated for "remarks" made about a wealthy foreigner whose delicate feelings might be hurt, yet none of the insane decisions handed down by the judiciary (early release for Chris Langham let's say) even raise an eyebrow?? Why?Answers on a postcard pleeeze!!!

Catherine, Denver, CO, USA