Andrew Neil has been widely praised for delivering an exceptionally strong monologue at the beginning of the This Week show.
The BBC journalist delivered a searing message to terrorists looking to frighten the British people in the wake of the Westminster attack.
He first paid tribute to PC Keith Palmer, killed in the attack on Westminster, saying: “Keith Palmer had been a copper for 15 years, a husband, a dad, brother, uncle, public servant. Before joining the police, he’d been in the army, defending our nation.
“Yesterday he was murdered defending our democracy, defending the very heart of our democracy from a barbarian at the gate.
“Just doing his duty, reminding us of something we badly needed reminding, that this most important people in this country are not the rich, the powerful, the famous but those who run to confront the enemies of our civilisation while the rest of us are running away. First responders like PC Palmer.
“Brutally stabbed to death by a jumped-up jihadi, not fit to breathe the same air as the man he killed.
“Now I know there are still some ‘Jihadi Johnnies’ out there who think they will eventually triumph because their love of death is greater than our love of life.”
Neil then turned his attention to the terrorists themselves.
He said: “Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with? This is the country that stood up alone to the might of the Luftwaffe, air force of the greatest evil mankind has ever known.
“If you think we’re going to be cowed by some pathetic, Poundland terrorist in an estate car with a knife, then you’re as delusional as you are malevolent.
“Yes, you have the power to hurt us. Sometimes the hurt is more than we can bear - but you cannot defeat us.
“Because for every brainwashed, brain dead Islamist you send to do us harm, we have thousands upon thousands of Keith Palmers. You find them in every walk of life and in every part of the land, they come in all shapes, all sizes, all colours, all faiths. They are the British people and against them you will never prevail.”
Many on social media praised Neil for his words...
Ten people have been arrested in London and the West Midlands in connection with the Westminster attack.
The attacker killed Palmer, Spanish teacher Aysha Frade, American tourist Kurt Cochran and last night another victims, named as 75-year-old Leslie Rhodes, also died.
The killer has been named by police as Khalid Masood, whose birth name was Adrian Russell Ajao.