Farage hasn't gone on public transport for years - and we should ALL be ashamed - Kelvin MacKenzie

Further, he was the victim of yet another attack last week (remember it was only the other month he was milkshaked) but decided not to make anything of it as I imagine he feared more copycat incidents. A wise decision.

The danger of being in public life, even by wearing a uniform that marks you out as different, was spotlighted last night with the shocking stabbing of an Army officer in his forties wearing his fatigues, 200 yards from the REME barracks in Gillingham, Kent.

The attacker, a man in his twenties, was carrying two knives as he searched around to stab any soldier. He even licked the blood on his knife after the attack.

The victim is in a serious condition, but thank God he is going to live. The police say the attack was not terror related and there is a suggestion of mental health issues. I’ve heard all this before.

Cast your mind back three years when in a Reading park a number of white men (they had links to the local LGBTQ+ community) were enjoying a chat and a drink when Khairi Saadallah, 26, stabbed them to death in a pre-planned attack.

At the time there was a suggestion of mental illness but by the time it had reached the Old Bailey the truth was revealed. He had links to Muslim-based terrorism.

He was jailed for the rest of his life. The families and partners have to live with the deaths of their loved ones for the rest of their lives. There will be cries for soldiers not to wear their uniforms so they won’t be targets. Easy for me to say I know, but I would be grateful if they resisted such calls.

Nothing lifts my spirits when travelling as much as if I see soldiers in their uniforms making their way across Waterloo station. It is a reassuring sight.

On the pecking order of courage, they are right at the top. It could be that the stabbing of the officer is not linked to yet another Islamic outrage but we are now so used to the expression that not all Muslims are terrorists but all terrorists are Muslim that you can’t blame the public for believing the worst.

Can you imagine how difficult life is for a Nigel Farage figure. He has strong views, but I know, as he told me, that he cannot go into a bar or pub for fear of being harangued or even worse by a member of the public.

That should not be permitted. In social situations, I would like to see a law where you cannot approach a politician without their permission and if that is not granted, they must not persist or face being arrested. There are signs at railway stations saying staff must be treated with courtesy.

Why should that not apply to politicians like Nigel Farage? We owe these people protection. And we owe our armed forces our thanks.