An effective anti-terrorist strategy must have the confidence of the Muslim community if it is not to lead to greater distrust and division / By James Fergusson

The morning after the London Bridge van and knife terrorist attack – the third such major incident in three months – Theresa May emerged from the door of Downing Street to say that things could not continue as they are, and that “enough is enough”. The counter-extremist action plan she went on to spell sounded remarkably like more of the same – a doubling down on a strategy developed on her watch when she was Home Secretary.

Given that the country was four days from a general election, perhaps Mrs May felt she had no choice but to respond as she did. She was in no position to announce a sudden change of strategy, or even tactics. With the nation’s security looking less than stable, perhaps she felt obliged to fall back on the other quality on which she has relentlessly campaigned, her strength.