IT wasn’t very long ago that the word “bigot” was applied to anyone making racist or otherwise damaging discriminatory public comments?

Now, children as young as three are being branded racists, homophobes and bigots over playground taunts, reported for “hate” crimes over words like “Chinese boy” “Somalian” and “doughnut.”

Has this country gone barmy? Children have always used nicknames — it’s part of play and, usually, innocent.

By labelling it bigotry, we not only demean the term when practised by those fully understanding its meaning but tag youngsters with a label that could haunt them for life. Now who’s the bigot?