The Archbishop of Canterbury has stubbornly occupied the front pages of websites and newspapers for the past four days after his speech on Islamic law in the UK created one almighty row.

The head of the Church of England has successfully united the government, Muslim leaders and members of his own church in condemnation. A statement has since appeared on his website suggesting the whole thing was a terrible misunderstanding.

It read: “The Archbishop made no proposals for Sharia in either the lecture or the interview, and certainly did not call for its introduction as some kind of parallel jurisdiction to the civil law.”

Is he sure? This is what he said, so make up your own mind:

(Excerpts from a speech at the Royal Courts of Justice and a BBC radio interview)

- “There’s a place for finding what would be a constructive accommodation with some aspects of Muslim law, as we already do with some other aspects of religious law.”