“Whatever the goal of the terrorist who perpetrated the attack on Westminster was; it failed.
This morning Parliament carried out its normal business: there were Departmental questions in the Chamber, Committees are meeting and Parliamentary staff are working in every MP’s office. Visitors are coming into Parliament and the rest of London is going about its business as usual.
The shock and horror of yesterday has evolved into a steely determination to carry on with normal everyday life.
But there are of course some whose lives have been changed forever. Within the parliamentary estate, just a few yards from where I was voting, a policeman – PC Keith Palmer – was viciously killed while carrying out his duties. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the families of all of those who were killed or injured yesterday.
Yesterday’s attack was an attack on London, on Parliament, and on our democratic values. People from more than ten countries were injured in this atrocity, and the international community has united in condemning terrorism.
We saw the best and worst of humanity yesterday, with our emergency service personnel and members of the public doing everything they could to help people in desperate need. The Parliamentary staff and security personnel were incredibly calm and professional as the Palace of Westminster went into lockdown.
Ultimately the compassionate response of so many outweighed the senseless actions of one disturbed individual.”