There is something dangerously Orwellian about the government raising an entirely hypothetical, abstract, threat level from “substantial” to “highly likely”; the notion that we are all obliged to fear more, but to have no clue as from where the threat might emanate, or why. No details have been given as to why we are more at risk than we were last week. The whole kit and caboodle seems to say that we are facing greater danger than ever before, but we will not tell you where that danger comes from and nor is there anything you can do about it other than be more “vigilant”.

It simply makes all of our lives more fraught and less pleasant and especially so, I would reckon, if you are a decent Muslim. It does not help us defeat the maniacs; in a sense it simply makes them appear more potent. It may anaesthetise us to more authoritarian measures introduced to protect our security — but other than that, what was the point of the exercise?