We must tread carefully when tackling fanatics

BRITAIN, like the rest of Europe, is getting used to a new and horrifying routine.

Terrorists strike at the beating heart of the Western way of life. From children enjoying a pop concert to adults having a drink on a Saturday night – it’s the way it happens now.

Attackers whose minds have been twisted and infected want to lash out at expressions of joy. The reactions to this latest outrage were typically defiant.

Londoners are used to picking themselves up after terrorists try to stop them.

And last night’s One Love benefit concert in Manchester was a perfect example of ordinary people taking a stand.

Thousands were in the city just 13 days after 22 innocent people died. Unbowed, just one day after the London killings, they came together to prove terror won’t win.

After the Manchester attack, there was a numb anger and sadness at so many children lost to such cruelty.

The General Election campaign was suspended as people across Britain united.

Now London serves as a reminder that terrorists are happy to carry on while everyone else tries to keep calm. For many, simple defiance isn’t enough any more.

While political leaders paused, Theresa May tried to take a stand.

She set out four points, some with striking resemblance to her Tory party manifesto, to crack down on twisted Islamist extremism.

In the heat of the moment, few could argue that reviewing counterterrorism or weeding out domestic terror is inappropriate.

May is correct to call out big internet companies for ignoring the dark areas of the web where terror finds a breeding ground.

She also needs to find a way of making sure the tough talking doesn’t become a full-scale assault on civil liberties.

These form the bedrock of the very Western democracy we all cherish. It must be protected, or the terrorists will have succeeded in making us bow to their will.

May called out those she says offer a safe space in public life, including in schools and universities.

This will have to be treated carefully or she runs the risk of sowing more distrust among people from different faiths and backgrounds.

Equally, Britain does not want a Trumpstyle alt-right surge to fill any vacuum left by those too afraid to react appropriately. This is where the election and normal politics comes in as an essential part of our lives.

Party leaders were correct to pause and reflect yesterday – but our democracy can’t be derailed by fanatics.

The UK needs a sensible approach to the rest of this campaign. There must be space for all parties to make their views heard.

The General Election will bring us a government which will set our course for years to come.

It’s a precious responsibility, one that terrorists cannot be allowed to take away.