Suella Braverman’s description of pro-Palestinian protests as being ‘disturbingly reminiscent of Ulster’ has given the Province’s political class yet another reason – not that they need one – to chunter on at length.

The professionally po-faced, from SDLP leader Colum Eastwood to Stephen Farry of the Alliance Party, dutifully trod the path to X/ Twitter, or whichever broadcasting studio would take them, to intone about how off piste the Home Secretary had gone. They said Braverman’s remarks showed how ignorant about the reality on the ground in Northern Ireland she was.

For all the claims the Home Secretary doesn’t know what she’s talking about when it comes to Northern Ireland, she may well have a point.

Loyalists in Belfast still stage a parade every September named after Brian Robinson, a UVF killer

After all, in the past few months we have seen the usual pageantry of portly, part-time paramilitaries turning up in Londonderry which led to a riot at Easter. We have also had the now annual event when a ‘cultural’ festival in West Belfast concludes with a concert which sees thousands of young people – the so-called peace generation – shout ‘Oh Ah Up the Ra’. Not to be outdone, loyalists in Belfast still stage a parade every September named after Brian Robinson, a UVF killer.

Braverman is perfectly within her rights to point out that there is an obvious sickness in Northern Irish society which does have parallels, like it or not, with the increasingly noxious displays which are clogging up city centres in the mainland every weekend.

Rather than address that issue, the likes of Farry and Eastwood seem more annoyed that attention is being drawn to it – and by someone like Suella Braverman. However, the real issue with Braverman’s argument is that she already has a ready made, home-grown example of ‘hate marches’ to point to.

That we still have men in balaclavas fermenting disorder in estates, and a parade honouring a man who shot an innocent Catholic civilian eleven times taking place, is not a ringing endorsement of either the effectiveness of the police and security services or the extent of the writ of decency in Northern Ireland 25 years after the Belfast Agreement. All things, incidentally which are in the gift of the Government to at least try and sort.

Yes, there are comparisons to be made between the marches of recent weeks and the tone and tenor of what occurs at similar events in Northern Ireland. There is also a sadly fitting equivalence between the denuded ability of the state and the forces of law and order to respond to this scourge, both in London and Belfast.

That, more than any perceived offence towards Northern Ireland, should be the primary concern of those who have been so upset by what the Home Secretary has said today.