THE Tory Party is clearly in desperate straits heading into the general election. That has led it into a situation where it is now promoting security and defence as its major campaigning issues.

In a recent speech, Rishi Sunak effectively launched the long general election campaign with a series of wild claims and promises on military spending and state security. There is a right way and a wrong way to respond to these claims.

Every school pupil knows the saying that “patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.” But we should understand the power of this type of messaging. Of course, there is no mileage in chasing the vote of the jingoists, xenophobes and outright racists. Labour is always likely to come second-best (or worse) in the contest for their votes. But there is a reason that politicians in trouble so often reach for the flag and the defence budget when they are in difficulties.