Actions must speak louder than words

Once again, the UK has been rocked by a horrific and barbaric act of terrorism.

Less than a fortnight after the despicable Manchester Arena bombing, terrorists armed wth knives caused havoc in London.

As revellers enjoyed a Saturday night out, those hellbent on destroying the freedoms and way of life we all take for granted launched their latest sickening assault.

Once again stories soon emerged of the heroism of emergency crews and ordinary members of the public.

Although general election campaigning was officially suspended, the rhetoric was also ramped up.

There were calls for the nation to get far toughter on extremism – an appeal it is increasingly hard to ignore.

If an individual or group of individuals decide to turn a van into a weapon, or run amok in a crowd while armed with knives, it is neither easily predicted nor prevented.

However, what we must become more aware of is the radicalisation process – the mechanisms that turn young men into killing machines.

There have been many warm words in the wake of recent attacks in both London and Manchester. Leaders of all faiths have spoken of their determination to root out evil wherever they find it. However, more clearly needs to be done. Whoever is elected on Thursday will have to not only talk tough, but also act tough.