Due to prior constituency commitments, I wasn’t in Westminster last week when terror returned to the streets of London.

Within 90 seconds on an otherwise ordinary afternoon, four innocent people, including a police officer guarding the Houses of Parliament, were murdered

Thankfully the assailant was stopped before he could reach the crowded public area in Westminster Hall by colleagues of the murdered officer.

Although I recognised PC Keith Palmer from his photographs shown on the news, I couldn’t claim to know him – but his courage and professionalism exemplified that of all of the security staff and police officers at Westminster, who do a wonderful job keeping all MPs, peers, staff and the public safe every day.

The fact that this incident was brought to an end so swiftly simply proves how professional they are.

The primary aim of those who planned this murderous attack is to spread fear and division. They are desperate to provoke a backlash against the Muslim community; a backlash that will in turn they believe, push more Muslims towards the path of radicalisation and violence.

So the response of those of us in the non-Muslim community will be crucial. As Brendan Cox, husband of the late Jo Cox MP said in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday’s attack, the man who murdered PC Keith Palmer and the others is no more representative of the Muslim community in the UK as the man who murdered Jo Cox is representative of the people of Yorkshire.

The terrorists behind last week’s atrocity can only succeed if we allow this incident to change our attitude and behaviour to our Muslim neighbours, workmates or friends. This must not happen.

As a mark of respect to the victims of this attack both the UK and Scottish parliaments suspended the sitting before returning to work the following day, sending a unequivocal message to those who think that they can divide us that they cannot and will not.