'A grown-up conversation is needed over ending lockdown'

First and above all, it is about the cessation of that conflict and the sacrifices so many made to spare us a Nazi future.

Winston Churchill called the period from the start of World War One, in 1914, to the end of World War Two, in 1945, as the Thirty Year War.

Those whose adult lives spanned that time had known only war, the fear of fascist dictatorship and more war.

When Germany surrendered on May 8, therefore, there was a spontaneous outpouring of joy and relief.

People poured onto the streets and embraced one another – which brings me to the second reason for thinking about VE Day.

We are now in a time of lockdown because of the coronavirus. This is not voluntary, but something required by the government.

Some have compared this with wartime, which raises the question: what happens when the lockdown ends?

The lesson from VE Day has to be it mustn’t end in some sudden way, otherwise we shall go from social distancing to hugging and handshaking – and that risks spreading the virus all over again.

There is no exact parallel between the end of wartime and the end of lockdown.

The war ended at a single moment when Germany signed the document of surrender.

The virus is not defeated like that and will not be finally overcome until a vaccine is found, but we can ease the lockdown in stages.

Even so, there will be implications for policing that must be thought through.

Overall, crime has fallen in this period, but will it return to previous levels? Has the type of criminality changed? Above all, will people still willingly co-operate with any continuation of restricted movements and social distancing?

So far, the government has explained why this is necessary to defeat the virus and we have accepted the explanation.

This has enabled the police to encourage rather than compel people to stick to guidance.

An open and grown-up conversation about how we move out of lockdown will be key.

In this country we police by consent – we agree with what the police seek to do. We have to govern by consent as well.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​