Rule by consent is getting dangerously thin

I don't know if you have been following the new on the arrest and subsequent imprisoning of Tommy Robinson, but it looks bad.

There are cases made for why Tommy Robinson deserves what has happened - and these have been made only today as reporting restriction have been lifted - see The Secret Barrister, who sadly ruins their case with their thinly veiled bigotry.

But equally there are very disturbing elements to this case. The police look bad, the courts look bad. The idea that the police are targeting individuals to silence them is now an accepted opinion in a far larger part of the population than many comfortable middle class liberals appreciate. ( The online petition to free Tommy Robinson is now just short of half a million signatures).

Every time people here that diversity is more important than the massacre with knives on our streets - support for the establishment drops. What you say - no one is saying that ? We'll you need to consider that is what people are hearing. Think of today's announcement about cyclists in London being too middle class and white ( pretty much the same type of announcement gets in the headlines on what seems like every day, all year - with just the category being targeted changed ).

Maybe by diversity the people who make pronouncements mean inclusion and evidence of fair life chances playing out, but what many are hearing is racist anti-white anti-male relentless bigotry that targets them personally.

And all this is before we get to the wilful refusal to implement Brexit by the ruling elite.

The police are losing their support, the state is losing legitimacy, and rule of law may not much longer enjoying common support from the people.

I don't know how much of this is appreciated by middle class Guardian readers, but they would do well to try to understand - because this sort of disengagement could lead to very sudden and painful realignment.

Liberals take Robert Peston as your example- don't wait to be ashamed of being out of touch with millions of people because you live in your own cosy bubble.

The generous of England has been to adjust and adapt, not to let the fabric of society snap. Lets keep that going...