Dame Eliza talks (to Pepe?)

We are aware of numerous plots to kill people and to damage our economy. What do I mean by numerous? Five? Ten? No, nearer thirty - that we know of. These plots often have links back to Al-Qaida in Pakistan and through those links Al-Qaida gives guidance and training to its largely British foot soldiers here on an extensive and growing scale. And it is not just the UK of course. Other countries also face a new terrorist threat: from Spain to France to Canada and Germany.

Aahhh, but it depends where in France. As long as Versailles (and perhaps the 16th Arrondissement?) are safe -- nothing to worry about. As for the other countries, why would any self-respecting Versaillist care?

My Service and the police have occasionally been accused of hype and lack of perspective or worse, of deliberately stirring up fear. It is difficult to argue that there are not worse problems facing us, for example climate change... and of course far more people are killed each year on the roads than die through terrorism.

Yes! The classic Pepean argument. Just a few Molotov cocktails, thrown here and there. Case dismissed. Yes?