A security conference is a strange place to argue that the UK needs a stronger national identity to prevent extremism. That any prime minister is willing to make speeches with structured content is fairly remarkable. Admirably, David Cameron turned on his own right wing by rejecting Islamophobia without exception.

That he has only just noticed that multiculturalism is moribund is not so impressive; he is about five years late. In trying to work out what the "problem" is with Islam, he struck on odd chord with disruptive events in the Middle East. What makes a peaceable nigger, turn against his rightful Master?

In the UK , some young men find it hard to identify with the traditional Islam practiced at home by their parents, whose customs can seem staid when transplanted to modern Western countries. But these young men also find it hard to identify with Britain too, because we have allowed the weakening of our collective identity.

Ignoring the guff about Islam, those last ten words stand out on their own as an issue. See, we don't really do identity here. You are just British; you don't talk about it.

By the turn of the previous century most people living in the UK would broadly think of themselves as Christian, rationalist, both, or too poor to have time for philosophy. That is, if asked one of the "why are we here" type questions, they would have mentioned "Jesus", "for Queen and country", or similar. Progress was seen as a positive thing, and the Christian message was still being sent to all corners of the Earth.

By comparison we are now all educated and well fed, but faith in either science or religion is receding. And no one lives for the good of any monarch. Outside work and family, there maybe little holding up the sky. This means the audience receptive to vivid messages that drown out the background hum is probably growing.

Back home, we’re introducing National Citizen Service: a two-month programme for sixteen-year-olds from different backgrounds to live and work together. I also believe we should encourage meaningful and active participation in society, by shifting the balance of power away from the state and towards the people. That way, common purpose can be formed as people come together and work together in their neighbourhoods.

Islamic firebrands could be replaced by cup cakes or Jeremy Clarkson. Anything self consistent and substantive. I'm not sure it is the government's job to artificially fill the void, but the idea that a raft of proposals to Anglify hapless immigrants will somehow fill their lives with missing rapture is foolish. But if only we could keep the peaceable niggers moderate Muslims from turning bad, would that not be ideal?

One hopes that any immigrant culture will do its part to re-energize the host. Most Irish and black Britons can attest to early teething problems, but we all get along just fine now. Plus our construction industry is better, and our food spicier. I see nothing to convince me that a bunch of Etonians has any great moral compass to help steer troubled Asians to calmer waters. Yes, appropriate authorities have to stop tribal absurdities and dangerous hotheads because they are incompatible with humanity, let alone Europe. But if strengthening our "collective identity" can only be done by suppressing minorities, then our arguments must be less persuasive than we believed.