In March 2004, Simon Jenkins wrote an outspoken denunciation of Tony Blair’s warnings about domestic terrorism in Western societies. The subheading nicely sums up the essence of Jenkins’ argument:
Simon Jenkins says that Tony Blair’s Sedgefield speech was just another attempt by the Prime Minister to scare us into believing that we are all in mortal danger. We are not
Simon Jenkins’ anti-Jeremiad was the lead story in the Spectator. It hit the news stands the same day that jihadist terrorists murdered 191 people and injured 1800 more in Madrid.
Today, Simon has this to say in the Guardian:
We have gone demented. Two Britons are or were (not very) ill from flu.
…
Appropriately panicked, on Monday ministers plunged into their Cobra bunker beneath Whitehall to prepare for the worst. Had Tony Blair been about they would have worn germ warfare suits. British government is barking mad.
…
Health scares are like terrorist ones. Someone somewhere has an interest in it.
Oh my god. I’m off to make my will.
