Wycombe’s MP reassured residents that “we have nothing to fear” in the wake of the attacks in France two weeks ago.

Steve Baker’s comments come after the terrorist attacks in Paris left 12 dead at the offices of satirical French magazine, Charlie Hebdo, and further scenes of violence in other parts of the city.

Mr Baker is not the first Wycombe politician to comment on the events across the channel.

The same day as terrorists targeted a kosher supermarket in Paris – two days after the attack on Charlie Hebdo – the town’s mayor, Councillor Khalil Ahmed, released a statement in which he said “insulting a person’s fundamental beliefs was likely to lead to unrest”.

Councillor Ahmed faced a backlash following the release of his statement, with both the leader of the Conservative-run council and the Wycombe Labour Group, of which the mayor is a member, distancing themselves from his statement.

On Sunday, hundreds of people marched through the centre of High Wycombe to celebrate the birth of the prophet Muhammed.

Despite Mr Baker’s noticeable absence from Sunday’s parade, the Conservative MP said he would have attended the event if he had not made other plans that day – namely going head-to-head with a cage fighter in a self defence tutorial.

Mr Baker said that, to the best of his knowledge, he has never attended the prophet’s birthday parade and insists on taking one day off a week, when he usually goes to church.

He said: “I feel sure I would have been welcome to go [to the parade] but I had made the commitment to go to the Combat Academy many months ago.”

Although Mr Baker said he usually takes Sundays off, he “would have made an exception this year” to show support for the event.

He added: “The majority of our local Muslims are overwhelmingly peaceful and law abiding people who just want to get on with their lives.

“It’s most unfortunate that fear is taking hold. We have nothing to fear.

“In Wycombe we are wholly united against violence and extremism and I’m incredibly encouraged by all of the work being done by all our leaders to protect the community and promote understanding.”