The wretched inhabitants of that other English-speaking nation across the

Atlantic, the one I escaped from (praise the Lord!) nineteen years ago, have

three lurking fears in their lives: fear of crime; fear of their ignorant,

ill-mannered, brutish and corrupt police force; and fear of terrorism. In

that order, with terrorism a distant third. For an insight into the second,

read this amazing account of Nicky Samengo-Turner’s encounter with London’s

Finest in today’s Telegraph.