In Nice in France, a terrible tragedy has just taken place. A lorry mowed down people crowded on the seafront for the Bastille Day celebration fireworks.

From the French President down, through the media reports, and even in the USA, the immediate assumption was made that this was a terrorist attack. That may yet prove to be the case, but not a single piece of evidence has yet been brought to light to support that.

There is however evidence that the driver of the lorry was somewhat mentally unstable, and anti-social, and possibly even off his meds.

I miss two lines of reasoning in the media reports I am reading and watching on television:

• what if the driver was acting alone and this was nothing to do with terrorism but failed mental-health care?
• what if France, from the President down, have to eat their words?

There was a mention that some of the arsenal the driver had with him was fake. Is that true?
His father in Tunisia seems to have records showing his treatment for mental health issues. Is that true?
To date (also very soon, I admit) there is no evidence that this man had been radicalised. Is that true?

Will the French investigation solely focus on trying to establish a terrorist element / link? Or will it also be open for a non-terrorist explanation?

From time to time we read of lone escapades, some with a deadly outcome. The murder of the British MP Jo Cox was one of those. It was not a terrorist action.

But what if the death toll rises beyond 80, as in this case? A terrorist inspired plot would comfortably/uncomfortably explain what happened; someone with mental health issues armed with just a lorry but causing such carnage – that is even harder to contemplate.

Spoiler alert! What I do not want to see, although it has already started to happen in the wake of this incident, is that followers of Islam get the blame for a deed that was not instigated by extremist terrorists. That there is such a thing seems to be a complete curve ball for everyone concerned!

 

 

 

 

Theresa May will take over as Prime Minister tomorrow – and will be faced with the immediate challenge of heading the negotiations on Brexit. Out of the potential candidates, I personally think she is the most suitable.

Yet opposition parties are calling for a snap election! Really? Which planet do they live on?

The UK is still a member of the EU. Now the referendum result is clear, they are waiting for the UK to get on and make it happen.

That does not mean: wait until an election has taken place!

Those that voted for Brexit may not care any more about the rest of Europe, but the UK is still bound by its rules and obligations. It is now time for action, not an election!

The mistake being made here by certain opposition parties is that the electorate vote for a certain leader. Really, they don’t! They vote for the party that best reflects their wishes. The Conservatives won the last election outright – albeit with a slim majority. They kept their promise to hold a referendum, and May has reiterated that “Brexit is Brexit”.

Now is the time for the party in government to start working on that, not to hold Europe to ransom while an election campaign is held!