to want HATE campaigns against foreigners in the popular Press to stop...

is the SM any different?

Well, it was very much pro Remain (apparently)
According to some who know.

Is that the Mail group hedging its bets?

"Judas Iscariot was and is a scapegoat". He betrayed his friend, his teacher and his mentor for money. He wasn't a goat that had the sins of people placed upon it and was then sent out into the desert. He had free will, he did a terrible thing and paid for it with his life, as did the man he betrayed.

But - it was God's plan surely?
If there had not been a betrayal there may not have been a crucifixion and - perhaps no Christianity.

So Judas was the means to an end and used as the scapegoat.

Yes Jalima there needed to be a crucifixion and it's fair to say that Judas was the means to an end but it was his decision to betray Jesus.

He'd spent time with Him, listened to Him preach and witnessed some of the miracles He performed. God didn't use Judas to betray Jesus, it was Judas' decision. Judas was not an innocent victim used by God, he was his own man.

It was not God that made Judas betray Jesus, it was his own weakness and greed and he did so in the knowledge that Jesus knew what he was going to do and warned him of the consequences.

Luke 22 v 22 "But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. The Son of man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays Him".

It is a subject which has been and will be much discussed, no doubt. Like Mary Magdalene.
hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/Biblical-Villians-Re-Examining-a-Bad-Reputation-Judas
But probably not on this thread

Perhaps this thread isn't the right forum, but you did raise the matter and I've simply commented on it.

Not criticising, just making a note to myself and anyone else who may want to get it back on track, someone up thread mentioned a scape-goat and I can't remember why.