Late last night – late for me, at least – I was lying on the sofa watching a really poor Australian film. I was in two minds about it. In fact, I was just about to give in, turn it off and go to bed, when Lyn asked me to turn it over to the news. She had been on her computer in her studio, and obviously had seen something important. I turned the telly over, and that’s how I found out about the events of last night.

I watched for a bit. At first I clung to the hope that it all might turn out to be some sort of tragic accident, but pretty soon it became clear that this was no accident. The first question I found myself pondering was, how could this have been allowed to happen again, and so soon after the last one? I have to confess I raised a cynical eyebrow when I thought about the election being only a week away. After all, this plays right into the Tories’ hands: they want people to be scared in order that they can cast theirselves as defenders of the nation, also allowing them to justify attacks on free speech and cuts to the press. And of course, when the newsreader announced, in seemingly the gravest of tones, that Donald Trump had been informed, it only added to the impression that the drama was deliberately being built. Whip people up into a state of fear, and our liberties can more easily be taken, one by one.

But then, it’s all too easy to be a cynic and say we’re being manipulated. All one can really do is watch events unfold and hope for the best. Trying to read between the lines too much leads to some very strange, questionable places. After all, you could argue that it favours whatever party you choose. For now, let’s leave cynicism aside and hope we don’t see any more of these vicious, horrible events.