IN the fullness of time, the motivation behind yesterday’s attack on London will become clearer. What is already clear, however, is that the democracy and freedoms we often take for granted are fragile flowers that require nurturing.

Former Conservative cabinet minister Lord Tebbit has said there "may well" have been a political cover-up over child abuse taking place at Westminster in the 1980s.

It was a state visit that changed the state of relations between Ireland and Britain for good. Here are some things we noticed along the way.

Northern Ireland deputy first minister and ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness has rebuked Norman Tebbit for saying he hopes he is shot in the back for attending a State banquet at the invitation of the Queen.

Despite the glowing warmth of Anglo-Irish relations and the atmosphere of genuine friendship enfolding the remarkably successful State visit of President Michael D Higgins to the UK, it would to folly to pretend all is changed utterly.

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has angrily accused the UK's the former Conservative chairman Norman Tebbit of publicly encouraging the assassination of Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.

Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister and ex-IRA commander Martin McGuinness has rebuked Norman Tebbit for saying he hopes he is shot in the back for attending a State banquet at the invitation of the Queen.

Victims of the Brighton bomb are as entitled to a public inquiry as those from Bloody Sunday, Tory peer Norman Tebbit said tonight.

GERRY ADAMS yesterday urged loyalist paramilitaries to follow the IRA and ditch their guns.

BRIGHTON bomber Patrick Magee is no better than those who recently murdered Ken Bigley in Iraq and would kill again, former Tory minister Norman Tebbit said yesterday.

BRITISH PRIME Minister Tony Blair last night faced a sustained attack from Conservatives over the naming of Iraq mole Dr David Kelly.

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair chaired the “decisive” meeting which led to the naming of Government scientist David Kelly, the Ministry of Defence’s most senior official said yesterday.

THE British Ministry of Defence was yesterday accused of playing a lethal game of “Russian roulette” with Government weapons expert David Kelly.