Sifting through the emotions of today...

... I have come to the conclusion that I am significantly prouder to be British today than I was yesterday.

Why? Because yesterday we won a competition of slickness by way of a Tory peer who can run fast, a Powerpoint presentation, and the presence of David Beckham in beige. It may have been a joyous victory but I am not convinced it is one which demonstrates anything more fundamental about Britain than the fact that we can market ourselves and convince people that we know how to manage big projects. Not to be sniffed at, but still, hardly something you'd go to war to defend.

Whereas the response of the emergency services today was nothing short of awesome. I'm not talking about the bravery of it -- that is awesome too, but that is awesome everywhere. I'm talking about the preparedness and the professionalism. Something kicked in, and a whole infrastructure rose to the occasion.

And that is down to planning. And the planning is down to awareness of risk -- transformed (of course) by 9/11. Awareness of risk can bring a range of responses -- ranging from complete freedom of movement backed up by (inevitably) limited contingency in case of attack, right through to hugely restricted civil liberties, designed to minimise that risk.

I think today was an amazing illustration of how intelligently, on the whole, that line has been and is being walked in the UK. I'm glad I pay my taxes.

joella