Scaring the wits out of voters and trying to make the opposition appear weak is a discredited political game, writes Kevin Maguire.
David Cameron’s repeating the contemptible tactics of Tony Blair and, to a lesser extent, Gordon Brown by stoking fears to introduce new terror laws.
The Tory leader ’s motives are questionable after he exploited concern to pose in Downing Street as a 21st Century St George, ready to defend Britain by shackling and slaying the Islamist dragon.
His unwillingness to be grilled after delivering a prepared statement, evasive Dave taking a pathetic four questions, inadvertently betrayed the weakness of his ground.
The raising of the official security threat from “substantial” to “severe” is meaningless for most of us when No.10, MI5 or MI6 can’t point to an imminent attack.
But it enabled Cameron to deflect attention from the defection to UKIP of one of his Tory MPs and provides a smokescreen for a legal assault on our freedoms.
After watching the Liberal Democrats spend four years as Cameron’s human shields, I suddenly find myself in agreement with Captain Ashdown as he accuses the PM of indulging in a jihadi kneejerk.
Cameron the Conservative speaks of the horrors of Iraq and Syria as if he and his predecessors played no part in the anarchy that’s allowed the fanatics to prosper.
His apocalyptic warnings ignore greater threats posed in the past, including nuclear annihilation during the Cold War.
The beheading zealots are an evil bunch and they deserve to meet a sticky end. But where is the proof that they pose a direct threat to Britain? Or are returning to unleash atrocities on British streets?
If there is proof, publish it so we can make up our own minds.
And if we are in mortal danger, control orders restricting the movement of mass murderers aren’t the answer.
They should be arrested, charged and jailed if found guilty.
Nor is the answer the Pontius Pilate act of washing our hands by removing the passports of British jihadists who’ve gone abroad.
They too should on return be arrested, charged and jailed if found guilty.
Presuming guilt would be the draconian overturning of 800 years of British justice.
Cameron’s setting a trap for Ed Miliband as Blair did for the Tories when he demanded detention without charge for up to 90 days, and later Brown tried for 42 days.
It didn’t work for Blair or Brown and won’t work for Cameron if Miliband is bold and takes a principled stand and champions liberty against scaremongering.
The fear is the Labour leader will go along – or outbid the Tory leader to avoid appearing “soft” on terrorists.
The election will be fought on fear, not hope. And that’s depressing.