It’s time to vote for the Prime Minister who will root out extremists and all those who tolerate them
It’s time to act. . . and to vote
HOW many more times must we wake to news of innocents being slaughtered on our streets before something is done beyond tearful shows of solidarity?
It’s been ten weeks since Khalid Masood killed five and injured almost 50 on Westminster Bridge.
And just 12 days since Salman Abedi blew himself up outside the Manchester Arena, killing 22 and injuring more than 100.
Now London has been hit again.
As before, the bravery and speed of our emergency services deserves only the highest praise.
But it’s clear police and security services need more manpower and beefed up counter-terror powers to defeat this most evil enemy.
Those who go to IS-controlled areas must never be let back into the country.
The control orders that once let us keep close watch on suspected jihadis, but were judged illegitimate by fools like Nick Clegg, should be reinstated.
There must be a coordinated and thorough effort to root out all those who tolerate Islamic extremism, particularly in the public sector.
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The anti-radicalisation programme Prevent should be fully funded and expanded immediately.
It was right to suspend election campaigning yesterday, but it must resume today and the polls open as planned on Thursday for two clear reasons:
First, we must not allow terrorists to disrupt our democracy. The best way to show Britain’s defiance is by exercising the democratic rights they loathe.
Second, it’s important that voters realise they don’t have to accept living in fear of the next slaughter. This isn’t politicising the tragedy, simply acknowledging that combating terror is now at the top of the election priority list alongside Brexit and the economy.
Voters need to take a long and sober look at which party is best placed to stop maniacs killing our children.
Which party won’t shy away from tackling the cancer of Islamic extremism infecting too many communities.
Which leader has shown willingness to take on the web giants who provide jihadis with unpoliced lines of communication and access to terror manuals.
And, conversely, which leader has spent their political life in the bosom of terror groups while voting against every attempt to clamp down on them.
Today we mourn those who have died, and all the others affected, and we stand together as a country united.
On Thursday we must go out and vote to make Britain safer.