I did not think Peter Rabbit, an annoying fictional rabbit with what fashion journalists would call a “signature” blue jacket, would be a signpost pointing to the end of liberal civilisation, but these are strange times. I don’t think Beatrix Potter would have thought it either.

The facts are these: Sony Pictures have released a new film version of Peter Rabbit. It looks terrible from the trailer - tinny slapstick - but that is not important. The crucial thing is that there is a scene in which the rabbits’ enemy - their Dr No, a man called Mr McGregor - is pelted by blackberries by assorted rabbits, and one falls in his mouth. He uses an EpiPen to avoid going into shock.

He goes into shock anyway; but he does not die. I suspect Sony Pictures are grateful for that.

Parents of children with allergies have responded with such anger I initially thought their comments were satire. But no. They think that Peter Rabbit is encouraging children to “allergy bully” other children. This silly film, they say, is potentially an agent of death, which is a grave charge. They predict we will shortly see children murdered by foodstuffs at the hands of their classmates.