I live n the north of England. It’s quiet here, and the only remotely newsworthy event is that I have missed breakfast. However, currently my thoughts are in the capital. I’ve been in London several times, and while I cannot profess to know it well, I rather like it. Mum’s from London, as is Bill, my PA. I think about my friends down south, and this morning I read Lisy Babe’s blog, whose account I found rather frightening as it made the tragedy seem more personal somehow.

There’s a part of me that wants our country to seek out and destroy the culprit, kind of a ‘Nobody fucks with us’ attitude’. But this is base. But we are British, and revenge is not cricket. I am proud of the act that Londoners are going about their lives, as usual. We are indeed a resilient bunch, as the blitz showed. At the same time, there was something Churchillian in tony Blair’s speeches after the attack: a woeful resignation, yet a strength.

There is little doubt that our involvement in the war on terror caused this, especially Iraq. But approve or not – and I certainly didn’t – we better pull together, screw our courage to the sticking place, and remain defiantly British.