THE PRIME Minister and MP for Twyford and Sonning, Theresa May, has addressed the House of Commons following yesterday’s attack on Westminster.
Two people died after a man drove his vehicle into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, before crashing into railings outside Parliament.
The attacker then stabbed a police officer to death before being shot by armed officers.
The PM said that the police officer who was killed during the attack, PC Keith Palmer, was ‘every inch a hero’ and sent her condolences to his family, and to the families of all those killed or injured in the attack.
Read the PM’s full statement below.
“Yesterday an act of terrorism tried to silence our democracy, but today we meet as normal. As generations have done before us and as future generations will continue to do, to deliver a simple message: we are not afraid, and our resolve will never waver in the face of terrorism. And we meet here, in the oldest of all parliaments, because we know that democracy, and the values it entails, will always prevail.
“Those values: free speech, liberty, human rights and rule of law, are embodied here in this place, but they are shared by free people around the world. A terrorist came to the place where people of all nationalities and cultures gather to celebrate what it means to be free, and he took our his rage indiscriminately, against innocent men, women and children.
“This was an attack on free people everywhere, and on behalf of the British people, I would like to thank our friends and allies around the world, who have made it clear that they stand with us at this time.
“What happened on the streets of Westminster yesterday afternoon sickened us all. While there is an ongoing police investigation, the house will understand that there are limits to what I can say, but having been updated by police and security officials, let me set out at this stage what I can tell the House.
“At approximately 2.40pm yesterday a single attacker drove his vehicle at speed into innocent pedestrians who were crossing Westminster Bridge, killing two people and injuring around 40 more. In addition to 12 Britons admitted to hospital, we know that the victims include three French children, two Romanians, four South Koreans, one German, one Pole, one Irish, one Chinese, one Italian, one American, and two Greeks, and we are in close contact with the governments of the countries of all those affected.
“The injured also included three police officers, who were returning from an event to recognise their bravery: two of those three remain in a serious condition.
“The attacker then left the vehicle and approached a police officer at Carriage Gates attacking that officer with a large knife, before he was shot dead by an armed police officer. Tragically as the House will know, 48-year-old PC Keith Palmer was killed.
“PC Palmer had devoted his life to the service of his country. He had been a member of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command for 15 years, and a soldier in the Royal Artillery before that. He was a husband and a father, killed doing a job he loved. He was every inch a hero, and his actions will never be forgotten.
“I know the whole House will join me in sending our deepest condolences to his family, and to the family and friends of all those who have been killed or injured in yesterday’s awful attacks.
“I know also that the House will wish to thank all those who acted with such speed and professionalism yesterday to secure this place and to ensure we are able to meet as we are doing today.
“At 7.30pm last night I chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee COBRA and will have further briefings and meetings with security officials today. The threat level to the UK has been set at severe, meaning attack is highly likely for some time. This is the second highest threat level. The highest level, critical, means there i specific intelligence an attack is imminent. As there is no such intelligence, the Independent Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has decided that the threat level will not change in the light of yesterday’s attack.
“The whole country will want to know who was responsible for this atrocity, and the measures we are taking to strengthen our security , including here in Westminster. A full counter-terrorism investigation is already underway. Hundreds of our police and security officers have been working through the night to establish everything possible about this attack, including its preparation , motivation and whether there were any associates involved in its planning. And while there remain limits on what I can say at this stage, I can confirm that overnight the police have searched six addresses and made eight arrests in Birmingham and London.
“It is still believed that this attacker acted alone and the police have no reason to believe there are imminent further attacks on the public. His identity is known to the police and MI5 and when operational considerations allow he will be publically identified. What I can confirm is that the man was British born and that some years ago he was once investigated by MI5 in relation to concerns about violent extremism. He was a peripheral figure. The case is historic, he was not part of the current intelligence picture. There was no prior intelligence of his intent or of the plot. Intensive investigations continue, and as acting Deputy Commissioner Rowley confirmed last night, our working assumption is that the attacker was inspired by Islamist ideology.
“We know the threat from Islamist terrorism is very real, but while the public should remain utterly vigilant they should not and will not be cowed by this threat.”
