A town's defiance

Shoulder to shoulder, they stood in silent tribute as the funeral cortege containing bodies of the latest two British soldiers killed in Afghanistan were repatriated to the UK.

However, their resolution yesterday appeared to be even more steadfast as a controversial Islamic group applies for permission to stage its own march in Wootton Bassett to honour those Muslims killed in the conflict.

This is not an act of remembrance on the part of Islam4UK. It is a deliberate act of provocation.

For, thus far, the humbling scenes at Wootton Bassett – which were borne out of an act of spontaneity on the part of the town's Royal British Legion – have been apolitical.

They have not been about the merits, or otherwise, of the Afghanistan war. It is simply one town speaking for the nation and expressing its support for Britain's Armed Forces, a fundamental difference that the misguided march organisers at Islam4UK should recognise.

If not, the Government will be perfectly within rights to ban such a rally – despite the uncomfortable freedom of speech implications.