Businesses in the leisure industry were getting their knickers in a twist about proposed new anti-discrimination legislation that would make it against the law for anyone to be refused service on the grounds of their sexuality.

Followers of various religions explained the potential difficulties such legislation could put them in.

The owner of a Christian guest house, for example, would face a 'terrible moral dilemma' if two men called Justin and Jules turned up asking for a room.

A Muslim printer would have issues with his 'religious conscience' if two woman with short-ish haircuts asked to produce flyers for a 'pink and glam only' night at the local nightclub.

A woman from a Christian organisation assured listeners that this wasn't bigotry, just the right of a religous person to decide who to take money from - as if taking cash from a person whose lifestyle choice you happen to agree with earns you more interest in the bank.

I can't feel any sympathy for people who do their religion a disservice by dressing up bigotory and frowning diapproval as puritism.

What happens under a B&B owner's roof should be of no concern to them as long as it is legal.

And if anyone can enlighten me, a naive atheist, on whether 'Thou Shalt Not Live in Sin' trumps 'Love Thy Neighbour' or vice-versa, I'd love to hear from you.

DILEMMA of the week: do you shake the hand of someone you've just met in the Gents?

I was in the toilets at the Town Hall covering my first council meeting since joining the Warrington Guardian.

Keen to make contacts, I initiated a conversation with a chap, who will remain nameless, who was in there.

I'm always shocked when I see other blokes finish their business, as it were, then stroll out as if taps and soap existed in a parallel universe.

Our conversation had reached the point where manners dictate you should introduce yourself, but this guy was a non-washer and I was extending my hand out to him knowing where his had been!

Doubt flickered across my brain for a nanosecond - do I stuff my hand back in my pocket or do I shake?

I'll let you work it out for yourself. But suffice to say expect some top-notch political stories from me in the coming months.

Just once I've got over this bug I've picked up from somewhere.