Donald Macintyre's Sketch: We need sympathy for Tunisia victims before the shaming begins

What struck home in the Commons was the MPs from across the country naming constituents who were killed or injured in the attack

Prime Minister David Cameron issues a statement in the House of Commons on the terror attack in Sousse, Tunisia (PA)

Apart from the solemn one minute’s silence before David Cameron’s statement, what struck home in the Commons was the number of MPs from all parts of the country and across the party divide naming their constituents who died or were injured on the beach at Sousse on 26 June.

Labour’s Adrian Bailey was first, speaking of what Cameron called the “heartbreaking” multi-generational loss of the 44-year-old Sandwell council employee Adrian Evans, killed along with his father and nephew. But there were many more, some also mentioning the bravery of Tunisians who had come to the aid of victims.

Cameron’s statement was judicious and prime ministerial. Despite the emphasis on the “brutal terrorist attack” on “innocent British holidaymakers” who had “saved up for a special time with their family”, he also highlighted the murder of 27 worshippers in a Kuwait mosque claimed by a Saudi-based Isis affiliate, and the earlier, rather overlooked, execution of 120 Syrian Kurds in Kobane.

Despite the all-party consensus, however, there were sharper moments. Labour’s Shabana Mahmood recalled the PM’s accusation last week that some sections of British Muslims had “quietly condoned” Islamic extremism, instead of confronting it. “Will you agree,” she asked, “that most ordinary British Muslims… have no more knowledge and ability to step up to the plate and call out in this way than any other ordinary British person?”

While praising Muslim leaders who had condemned Isis “utterly”, Cameron remained adamant that “there are some people and some organisations... who go along with some of the narrative... Those people we must call out too.” As shadow Chief Secretary Ms Mahmood is a rising star, maybe the two should meet to discuss this further.

Former Tory Defence Secretary Liam Fox was the only MP to charge that “too few” Arab countries in the region were “pulling their weight” and to suggest “naming and shaming” states who facilitated the spread of fundamentalist Islam. He didn’t name them himself, but you couldn’t help wondering if he had in mind a Western ally or two.