The House wins

The attack in Westminster recently brought the horror of terrorism to the very heart of our democracy in the UK.

I won’t dignify the attacker by using his name here – he doesn’t deserve the attention - but his actions on the 22nd of March were a despicable act intended to kill and maim.

Taking the lives of three pedestrians on Westminster Bridge by driving on the pavement at speed, he left 50 more with injuries, some life-changing. After crashing the car he had used so callously as a weapon, he then burst through the gates of the Palace of Westminster, before stabbing PC Keith Palmer. Despite the heroic efforts of those nearby, the unarmed officer also lost his life.

The hate-filled attacker was intending to end lives and he lost his own, too, after being shot by another officer. Few will mourn him. He set out to kill, create panic, and destabilise us all with a vile attack in our capital, at the centre of our democratic process.

Like all acts of terrorism (and despite what imbeciles like Katie Hopkins might say on US TV), he may have succeeded in taking away lives, but he failed spectacularly in all other regards.

If he hoped to divide us, it didn’t work. It brought people closer together. If the desire was for us to feel fearful and weakened, that didn’t work either – it has only made us more defiant against those who seek to harm us, and strengthened our resolve.

This isn’t a nation that will crumble when under attack. We support each other, help each other, and, if needed, have an extra cup of tea.

The House wins. And I don’t just mean parliament and all that stands for. Our house, our home, our country - we won’t be beaten by hatred and violence. We will mourn those who died, support those who are injured... and carry on. Because that’s exactly what the terrorists don’t want us to do.

It may not always be that obvious when you turn on the news, but our United Kingdom is just that – united. Evil and hatred can not, and will not, win.

If my maths is correct (I scraped an O-level on the second attempt, so I definitely wouldn’t count on it), this is my 250th column for the North West Evening Mail.

Quite a milestone – I would never have believed I had enough deep-seated annoyance and barely-suppressed frustration with the world to still be angrily banging a keyboard after 250 weeks. Still, what my writing lacks in quality, I’m desperately trying to make up for with quantity.

Thanks for putting up with me these last 125,000 words or so. I should make the 1000 columns mark some time in 2032. By that stage, we should hopefully be able to put together a skinny pamphlet of my best stuff.

Just don’t read it if you like wind chimes or drive an Audi. See you next week...


This post first appeared as my 'Thank grumpy it's Friday' column, in the North West Evening Mail, on the 31st of March, 2017. Whilst the version used on their website retained my title, the print edition ran it as 'United in the face of terrorism'.

Apologies for the gap - I've been away for week, cluttering up the Yorkshire Dales and trying to blend in by wearing a flat cap.

Yes, this was indeed my 251st outing for the paper (including the one they deemed libellous and decided not to print). Additional milestones are achieved this week too, but I think that's enough excitement for one day, isn't it?

(CD A-Z: Mike Oldfield's "Incantations" - strangely, probably my least favourite of his work.)