A Prime Minister on top of the job

Yet again today the Prime Minister showed us in the House of Commons that he is the overwhelmingly dominant politician in the UK. I thought his Statement on the Algeria Hostage Crisis was powerful and correct in all respects. Any Conservative MP who doesn't recognise his value as leader of the party and leader of our country is suffering from a nasty case of self-destructive delusion. But back to the Statement.

I was particularly pleased by the supportive comments made about the Algerians. The Prime Minister recognised the challenge that the Algerian Gov't had been forced to confront - over 30 terrorists hell-bent on murdering innocent people in a huge, remote and dangerous industrial complex. The attack was sudden - and the terrorists were ready to kill in cold blood. Immediately after acknowledging the awful tragedy of deaths of innocents, it was right for David Cameron to pay tribute to the resolve shown by the Algerians, and placing responsibility for the murders four-square on the terrorists (which for some unfathomable reason the BBC refer to as militants).

I was also relieved to know that the Prime Minister is aware of the scale of the problems European states face. While President Obama was talking about the end of ten years of conflict, David Cameron was warning us that we could have decades of conflict in front of us. The President seems incredibly complacent to me, as well as indicating a declining interest in the security problems of Europe. David Cameron on the other hand seems very aware of the security issues confronting Europe.

The Prime Minister ended his Statement by declaring the importance of an international response (which is why we will help the French in Mali) - tough, intelligent, patient and based on international partnerships. There is potential for development of terrorist activity right across the Sahel - on the doorstep of Europe. There is a massive job to do - militarily and through cooperation at all levels. Its right that international aid is more biased in favour of improving social conditions in support of peoples targeted by these evil terrorists. At least, the United Kingdom has a Prime Minister who understands what needs to be done.