Know that democracy and the values that it entails will always prevail. Values, free speech, liberty, human rights are embodied here in this place. They are shared by free people around the world. A terrorist came to the place where people of all ionalities and cultured cultures gather to celebrate what it means to be free. He took out his rage indiscriminately against innocent men, women and children. A anpeaker, this was attack on free people everywhere. People, iof british 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 after yesterday afternoon sickened us all. The house will understand that there are limits to what i can say. Having being updated by police and security officials. Housel the health that at two 40 p. M. , a single attacker throat just drove his vehicle into innocent pedestrians who are crossing westminster bridge. Killing two people and injuring around 40 more. 12 peoplen to admitted to hospitals. We know the victims included three french children, the four german,s, koreans, one one poll, one irish, when chinese, one italian, one american and two greeks. We are in close contact with the governments of the countries to all those affected. Included threeo ts officers who were returning from an event to recognize their bravery. Two of those three remain in serious condition. The attacker approached a Police Officer, attacking that officer with a large knife before he was shot dead by an armed peace officer. Tragically, as the house will know, 48yearold keith palmer was killed. Lifelmer had devoted his 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. Father, husband and a 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 families and friends of all those who have been killed or injured in yesterdays awful attack. I know also, the house will reach to thank all those who acted with such speed and professionalism yesterday to secure this place and ensure we are able to meet as we are doing today. Nighteaker, at 7 30 left we will have further briefings and meetings with security officials. The threat level to the u. K. 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 is specific intelligence that in attack is imminent. There is no such intelligence, the independent joint Terrorism Analysis Center has decided that the threat level will not change in the likes of yesterdays attack. Speaker, 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. If all counterterrorism 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 was any associates involved in this planning. Wall there remain limits on what i can say at this stage, i can say that overnight, the police have searched six addresses and made eight arrests in birmingham and lending it london. It is still believed that the attacker acted alone. The people have no reason to believe there are imminent further attacks on the public. His identity is known to the police and mi five, and when operational consideration is allowed, he will be publicly identified. What i can concern is that the man was british born, some years ago he was once investigated by mi5 in relation to extremism. He was a peripheral figure. The case is historic. He was not part of the current intelligent picture. There was no prior intelligence of his intent, or plot. Intensive investigations continue. As acting Deputy Commissioner our working night, assumption is that the attacker was inspired by islamic ideology. This to speaker, we know the is really terrorism will, but whilthe public should remain at your levera a link, they should not and will not be cowed by the threat. As acting Deputy Commissioner had made clear, we are setting up policing to check communities across the country and to reassure the public. As a precautionary measure, this will be increasing the number of patrols in cities across the police on theore streets. Since june, 2013, our police securi and Intelligence Agency has successfully disrupted 13 separate terrorist plots in printing. In 2015, strategic defense and security review, we protected counterterrorism and committed to increase cost Government Spending on counterterrorism over the course of this parliament. Over the next five years, we two andest in action half billion in building our Global Security intelligence network, employee govern 1900 additional staff at mi5, mi six ngc hq. Of our Global Network counterterrorism experts working across europe, the middle east, africa and asia. Mr. Speaker, in terms of security here in westminster, we should be clear, that an attacker attempted to break into parliament and was shot dead within 20 yards of the gate. Clear that he did not succeed. Access to this building, we should be clear that he did not succeed. Please police aerobically did their job. But as is routine, the police, together with the house authorities are reviewing of the security of the parliamentary estate coordinated with the Cabinet Office who have responsibility for security measuresn place around the government secure zone. All of nuss this house have a responsibility for the security and safety of our staff. And advice is available for membs who need it. Yesterday we saw the worst of humanity. But we will remember the best. We will remember the the extraordinary efforts to save the life of the worst of Pc Keith Palmer including those by my right honorable friend the. And we will remember the exceptional bravery of our Police Security and Emergency Services. Who once again ran towards the the danger even as they encouraged others to move the the other way. On behalf of the whole country, i want to pay tribute to them for the the work they have been doing to the reassure the public treat the injured and bring security back to the streets of our capital city. That they have lost one of their own in yesterdays attack only makes their calmness and professionalism all the more remarkable. A lot has been said since terror struck london yesterday. Much more will be said in the coming days. But the the greatest response lies not in the words of politicians but in the everyday actions of ordinary people. For beyond these walls today in scenes repeated in towns and cities across the country millions of people are going about their days and get ong with their lives. The streets are as i busy asr the offices full the coffee shops and cafes bustling. As i speak milons will be boarding trains and airplanes to travel to london and to see for themselves the greatest city on earth. It is in these actions millions of acts of normality that we find the best response to terrorism. A response that denies our enemies their victory. That refuses to let them win. But shows we will never give in. A response driven by that same spirit that drove a husband and father to put that refuses to let them win. But shows we will never give himself between us and our attacker and to pay the ultimate price. A response that said to the men and women who prop gate this hate show less text john bercow and evil you will not defeat us. Let this be the message from this house and this nation today. Our values will prevail. And i commend this statement to the house. Order. Colleagues, i am advised that we have been joined today by French Foreign minister who is accompanied by a number of his colleagues and also by the deputy current screct the right honorable gentleman. Sir, we appreciate your presence and your very fitting display of solidarity with us. Mr. Speaker, i join the view in welcoming our colleagues from france here today. And i would like to the associate myself with the Prime Ministers remarks that she just made. What happened yesterday within meters of where we sit nowas an appalling atrocity. The police are still piecing together what took place and what lay behind it. Itehooves us all not to rush to judgment but to wait for the the police to establish the facts, to stay united in our communities, and not allow fear or the voices of hatred to divide or cower us. Today were united by our humanity and by our democratic values. And by that human impulse of solidarity. To stand together in times of darkness and adversity. I express my condolences to the family and friends of Police Officer keith palmer who gave his life yesterday in defense of the public and of our democracy. We thank the police and security personnel who keep us safe every day this estate. We especially pay tribute to the bravery of those who took action to stop thperpetrater of yesterdays assault. The police and security staff especially pay tribute to the lost a colleague yesterday, and continue to fulfill their duties despite their shock and their grief for their fallen colleagues which many expressed to me late last night when i was talking to them. We see the police and security every day. They are our colleagues theyre fellow workers, friends, neighbors. And as the Prime Minister the police and security every day. They are our dangerous and said, when violent instance take place we run away from them for our own safety. The police and Emergency Services run towards them. We are grateful for the public service. Yesterday, today, and every day that they put on their uniforms to protect us all. I want also to express our admiration to the honorable member whose efforts yesterday deserve special commendation. He used his skill to try to save life. Innont people were killed instance te place we run away from them for our own safety. The police andesterday walking across the bridge. As many millions of londonners and tourists have before yesterday them. And as all of us in this chamber have. As the Prime Minister said, the injured include people of ten nationalities. We send our deepest condolces to their loved ones and to the loved ones of those still in a very critical condition, including the the french schl children so welcomed in our capital visiting yesterday. We send our sympathies to them and to the people of their town and communities. We thank all the dedicated yesterday National HealthService Staff working to save lives, including all those from st. Thomas hospital who rushed out of that hospital straight over to the scene of the instance to try to support and save lives. Many people would have been totally traumatized by yesterdays awful events. Not just all of us here but watching on television worried for the safety of their friends and loved ones. So i ask in this house and this country, please look after each other. Help one another. And think of one another. It is by demonstrating our values solidarity, community, humanity and love that we will defeat the poison and division of but watching on television worried for the safety of their hatred. Prime minister. Thank you. First may i join the right honorable gentleman in expressing our gratitude to the support and solidarity which the french government have shown us at this diffict time. Like a number of other countries on the continent obviously fratches itself has felt the hurt and trauma of terrorist attacks and we are grateful to the french government for the support they have shn us. The right honorable gentleman is absolutely right in his description of our Police Officers. Every day when they put on that uniform they dont know what they are going to confront in the course of their duties that day. It is a fact often forgotten when people see the Police Officer walking on the streets that actually they do put their life on the line for our safety and security. They show enormous bravery and we are grateful to them all. Were also grateful as the right honorable gentleman said to all those from the Emergency Services to those from the hospitals who and others who rushed forward to give aid and support to those who had been injured at a time when they knew not what else might be happening in t vicinity and whether they might themlves be in danger. Finally, as the the right honorable gentleman says, at this time it is so important that we showhat it is our value that is will prevail. That the terrorists will not win. That we will go about our lives showing that unity of purpose and the value at is we share as one nation Going Forward and ensuring that the terrists will be defeated. Mr. Speaker, i join with my right honorablfriends in everything she said in respect of the deaths and injuries that have taken place, and joinith her in sending condolences to the families and the injured. My right honorable friends have set exactly the the right tone. Those of us privy to the information and background of these matters know have well that it has been little short of a america that will over the course of the last few years we have escaped so likely from the evil that is i am afraid present our society and manifests itself in the senseless and hideous acts of violence and evil. We have been very fortunate in that our Security Services have been iensely diligent and helpful inreventing such attacks. But she may agree with me that the house is going to have to simply be resolute in accepting that such attacks cannot always be prevented and that we have to accept that we havto fight this evil with rational democratic pnciples in order to get rid of it and that there are in reality no short cuts that will ever enable us to do that. I certainly agree with my right honorable friend. And in season, he refers to the number of plots that have be the number of plots disrupted he refers to the number off plots that have been the number of plots disrupted in recent years. It is easy to forget that when the threat level is at severe what that means is that an attack is highly likely. And it is not possible we live in a free and open country. We live in a democracy. It is not possible to ensure as he says that we can prevent any attack from taking place, but we can work as hard as our Security Services and police do precisely to try to prevent attacks from taking place. They have worked hard. They have been doing a good job. And they continue to do a good job in keeping us safe and will do so into the future. But if we are to defeat this evil then my right honorable friend is right. We will defeat this evil through our democracy and our values, and we must defeat of course the terrible ideology that leads people to conduct these horrific attacks. May i again associate myself with everything that has been said by the the Prime Minister, the leader of the labor party and by you mr. Speaker. Today of all days we are reminded that not withstanding our on political and cons tusal issues we are as one in our dedication to democracy, the rule of law, and harmony between peoples of all faiths and none. May i personally wish the Prime Minister and the home secretary well as they work very hard on our behalf with the security and Intelligence Services and to deal with the aftermath of the appalling indiscriminate terrorist act yesterday. Our hearts go out to the Family Friends and colleagues of Pc Keith Palmer and other casualties. We are hugely grateful to all police, security, and intelligence staff and First Responders who run towards danger without concern for their own safety. And i include in that our colleague and right honorable member. Today is not a day for details and questions so will the the Prime Minister accept on behalf of the Scottish National party and no doubt every member of this house our huge debt of gratitude to police and security staff. And does she agree with me that no terrorist outrage, no terrorist outrage is representive of any faith or of any faith community, and we recommit ourselves to strengthening the bonds of tolerance and understanding. Here here. And finally, is it not best to follow thadvice of brendan cox, the husband of our murdered colleague who hasaid in the days to come i hope we will remember the love and bravery of the victim, not just the the hatred and cowardness of the attacker. May i thank the right honorable gentleman for his words. I think he is absolutely correct. Now is the time for us to come together to promote those values of tolerance and understanding that he has referred to. To recognize that what motivates the terrorists is a warped ideology and a desire to destroy the values that we share and the values that we that underpins our democracy. The values of human rights, tolerance, understanding. And we should be absolutely as one in ensuring that those values prevail. Finally, as he says, we should remember the the bravery of the victims and the bravery of those who keep us safe day in and day out. Mr. Speaker, may i commend my right honorable friends powerful statement. May i add my prayers to those of hers for those who died and who are suffering. And also particularly for keith palmer, our wonderful and brave Police Officer. Faced such threats before by those of twisted and violent ideologies as the broken stones of the arch that we ter through on a daily basis bear testament to. Time and again. They have failed, they will always fail, because we are a beacon of freedom in this place, and that is why they target us. But as they fail may i urge my friend to ensure that as we extoll our righteous defiance in the face of such evil we also lace it with compassion, tolerance, and hope. I absolutely share the thoughts that my rightonorable friend has set out. He is right, this place is a beacon of freedom and we should never forget that. We should be absolutely resolute in our determination to defeat this evil. But we should also be optimistic and hopeful for our democrac and our society in the future. Mr. Speaker, i thank the Prime Minister for her statement and sight. I also thank her for her steps from 10 downing street last night which she really did speak for us all. We always know that the police keep us safe. But yeerday in the most shocking of ways we saw how true keith palmer and his families and all the victim of yesterdays outrage. We are beyond thankful to the police, to the nhs, Emergency Services, to the staff of this house for keeping us safe and being utterly dedicated to their roles. Those who attack us hate our freedom, our peaceful democracy, oulove of country, our tolerance, our openness, and our unity. As wwork to unravel how this unspeakable attack happened, will she agree with me that we must not either in our laws or by our actions, curtail these values. Indeed, we should have more of them. I thank the right honorable gentleman for hicomments. And he is right of course as others have said that we should ensure that our values, those values of demoacy and tolerance, of eedom prevail. It is exactly those lues which the terrorists are trying to attack. It is our very way of life that they wish to destroy. And that is why it is so important that out there those millions of citizens are going about their lives as they would do normally. Showing in the very smallest of and she reminds us all that the greatest tribute that we collectively can pay to those so tragically murdered is to ensure we go about our business as normally as possible and maintainhe values and the liberties that our forefathers fought so hard to win on our behalf. I agree with my honorable friend. It is so importanthat we continue to show that we not just value but espouse and in every action embody those freedoms and liberties. Because it is that that the terrorists wish to the attack. Those freedoms and liberties were hard fought. They are a part of this palace where there have been many arguments in the past about those very freedoms and liberties. We must ensure that they remain and that we show in our actions, in our deeds, and in our words that they remain at the heart of our democracy. Mr. Speaker, i thank the Prime Minister for her words today and also on the stopes of downing street yesterday. At this very difficult and important time she spoke for us l. We are so proud of the bravery of Pc Keith Palmer, so sad for his breeving family but so grateful for what he did to keep us safe. I would like to add my tribute to all the police here in westminster and the parliamentary staff who acted with such calmness and professionalism yesterday. And i would like to pay tribute to the Emergency Trauma Team at Kings College hospital who are caring for the injured. This was a horrific crime and it has cost lives and caused injury. But as an act of terror it has failed. It has failed because we are here and we are are going to go about our business. It has failed because spite the trauma that they witnessed outside their windows, our staff are here and they are getting on with their work. It failed because as the Prime Minister so rightly said, we are not going to allow this to be used as a pretext for division, hatred, and islama phobia. This democracy is strong and this parliament is robust. This was a horrific crime but as an act of terror it has failed. The right honorable lady speaks well and i agree with the the words she has spoken. Some of us were present nearby when aaron neeve was martyred. The lesson we learned then is not to dn a community because the acts of a single person. The message i got from the imam is we will always be with those who work for peace. Can i suggest that we try to disappointhose who calculate the work in their favor by making sure we Work Together and disappoint the the imam makes a very important. The metropolitan police are bringing a number of faith lears together for a meeting with them today to show the importance of that coming together of faith leaders. And they are of course working with communities up and down the country to both to reassure because there will be communities concerned about the possible reaction that might take place, to the reassure those communities. The job of the police is to keep us all safe. Can i join others mr. Speaker in commending the the Prime Minister for her Statement Last night and her statement today. In her tone, in her substance she haspoken for the whole country. And i commend her for it. Can i also echo those who have sa that we must not allow in the coming days and weeks anyone to try to divide our country on the basis of faith or nationality after these attacks. Because the reality london, is that across across the country we are a country united against these attacks. That is who we are. The right honorable gentleman is absolutely right. They have a very clear message. They will not be cowed. And that is a message this house gave very clearltoday that this country wilnobe kowed by these terrorists. I too send my sympathies to all those bereaved or injured in yesterdays horrific attack. As we reflect what happened, is it time to consider whether the police who guard sense tiff sensitive sites. Terrorists Like Parliament or airports should routinely carry personal protection weapons even when those officers are not part of the unit formally tasked with armed response. The nearly 20 years now that ive been in this house the level of security in the the parliamentary estate has been enhanced significantly and the number of armed officers in the parliamentary estate has been enhanced significantly. As to whether individual officers undertaking particular duties are routinely armed that is a matter for the police themselves. They are the best able to judge the circumstances in which it is best for individuals to have those arms. But of course we have seen a significant increase in the number of armed response vehicles, the number of Counter Terrorism specialist firearms officers. It is a sad reflection of the threat that we face that it has been necessary to do that. But we have been doing that. The question that my right honorable friend specifically raises is really an operational matter for the police. Mr. Speaker, can i too commend the Prime Minister for her words last evening and today when she spoke for all of us and for the entire country. Pc keith palmer was and is and his colleagues are the reason that we are here today and any other day. He embodied the rule of law which we stand for. He stood in harms way for all of us. And we remember and pray for his family and all those victims who suffered yesterday and the bereaved. We must remember, too, the bravery and always will ot of the emergency service, the parliamentary staff and goodness and decency of ordinary members of the public who rushed without regard to their own safety to help. We must uphold the values of this place. That the way to overcome terrorism is by working together politically and in every other way to ensure that our democratic values, the rule of law, human rights are all uphe would in every way that they can. We must rededicate ourselves to that in the future. I absolutely agree. As he says, we are able to be here today because of the bravery of our Police Officers. And but he also refers rightly under this parliament who calmly went about their job to ensure that everybody was safe yesterday. And as he has said, and hes referred to the experience in northern ireland, the way to and in that vein, will she assure the house that across all 43 constabularies, there will be Neighbourhood Policing teams visible to, and contactable by, strand in feeding information on terrorism to the counterterrorism organisations . Prime minister may the right honorable gentleman is right. As he knows from his experience, our counterterrorism strategy does indeed embody those four pillars with it, with in it including the pillar of prevent. The action that is taken to prevent terrorism, violent extremism and extremism will come in many forms, but it is important that individual within communities do feel that they are able to give information when they are concerned about somebody within their community, or concerned about somebody perhaps within their family, and what is happening to them. It is important that there are those opportunities for them. There will be a variety of means, some through policing and some through other opportunities where people can go and give such information, not just only for the protection of us all but often to the benefit of the individual concerned. James berry may i commend the Prime Minister for her very fitting statement . When Police Officers die, they leave behind husbands, wives, sons and daughters. The Police Dependants tru was set up to support the dependants of Police Officers killed or injured on duty, following the brutal murder of three Police Officers in Shepherds Bush in 1966. Will the Prime Minister join me in encouraging people to donate to the Police Dependants trust via pdtrust. Org donate . Prime minister may i am very happy to encourage people to do exactly as my honorable friend suggests. It is a valuable organisation, providing help and support to the families who are left behind. As we have all said, they have to live forever with what, for us, has been an act of bravery from their family member, but which, for them, is a tragedy and a trauma. Yvette cooper i, too, welcome the Prime Ministers words, as she speaks for all of us with the backing of all parties today. She was right to say that this was an attempted attack on parliament and democracy that failed because of the bravery of Pc Keith Palmer, who gave his life doing a job with others to keep people safe. It was also an attempted violent cowardly attack on our freedom, by mowing down people who were just walking along a bridge. As our hearts go out to them, will she agree that that attack on freedom also fails, not just because of communities resilience and determination but of the perhaps unique partnership in this country between the police and communities of all faiths and across all parts of the country, and that Partnership Working will be crucial to our making sure that the terrorists never win . Prime minister may the honorable lady is right it was a cowardly attack. Parliament has particularly focused on the attempt to attack parliament, but the mowing down of innocent men, women and children who were just going about their business in a variety of ways, many had come here as tourists to enjoy the eat delights of this wonderful city was an absolutely cowardly and appalling act. We do need to ensure and i think we have a unique bond between our police and their communities, and it is important that the partnership and bond continue. Philipavies can i commend the Prime Ministers statement . I also commend the Prime Minister for her reassuring dignity and resolve. She has shown why she is proving to be a superb Prime Minister, and why we are proud to have her as our Prime Minister. Of course, our hearts go out to the victims, and we honour the police, who risk their lives every day to keep us safe and, unfortunately, too often give up their lives to keep us safe. Can the Prime Minister assure us that she will ensure that Police Forces up and down the country, and the Security Services, will always have the resources they need to carry out their job of keeping us all safe . Prime minister may i thank my hon. Friend for his comments. As i indicated in my statement, we have taken steps to enhance the Resources Available for our security and intelligence agencies, and for our Police Forces, particularly those working in counterterrorism. We have looked as i indicated in my answer to an earlier question in recent times, to increase the number of armed response vehicles available not just here in london but in other parts of the country. Of course, wconstantly look at making sure that our response is appropriate, but we are very conscious of the job that our police do, day in and day out, and we give them the support they need. Liz Saville Roberts i speak for my party, plaid cymru. I commend the Prime Minister for her words today. I would like to say with us here today, it is another show of show of respect for the dead and for the injured. Respect for democracy and respect for our duty to our constituents. One man cannot shut down a cit and lock down democracy. Does she also agree that we must not react to such a worked warped ideology with unworthy responses . Prime minister may i think what is absolutely appropriate is the response that this house has shown today it has shown gratitude for the bravery of our police and our Emergency Services, it has shown respect and concern for those who have been the victims of the terrible attacks that took place, but, also it has shown normality, and that is what is important as we defy the terrorists, and as we work to defeat them. Nigel evans i thank the prime mister for her statement. I have been an mp for 25 years, and i have seen the police play many roles around the palace of westminster, one is to give advice to members of the public about where to go. None of us will have passed carriage gates without seeing members of the public having their photographs taken with the police, it is one of the things they do. One of the other things they do is protect our democracy, as we saw yesterday with brutal consequences. I am very proud of the police and everything they do in defending our democracy. Keith palmer was one of us the police who protect us is one of us. I hope at some stage the tribute to keith and the police is that we are here today and that our proceedings are going on. We have the arch that was spoken about before, which is a lasting memorial to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our democracy. And i do hope that, at an appropriate time, with discussion with the family, we may be able to look at a lasting memorial to keith, in order that each and every one of us will know that there are people putting their lives on the line for our democracy today. Prime minister may i thank my honorable friend and i am sure the house authorities will wish to consider the point that he has made. If i may just reflect on his earlier remarks, i think it is a particular characteristic of policing here inhe United Kingdom that our police are able to have that link and that bond with members of the public, at the same time as they are doing that very difficult job of keeping us safe. We see it so often when major events take place, royal weddings, the olympics and so forth. We see it day in and day out here on the parliamentary estate. Hilary benn as we mourn those who were so cruelly cut down yesterday, give our grateful thanks to the police and to the emergency and Security Services for their exemplary courage and devotion to duty, and show as a country, by our determination to carry on, that we will not be cowed, as the Prime Minister put it so eloquently. Does she agree that we will need to show the same determination to stand up against anyone who seeks to sow division or to stir up hatred in the wake of these cowardly attacks. I absolutely agree with the right honorable gentleman. We much desk we must be British Foreign secretary held a News Conference outside the u. N. Headquarters. The secretary is also a former mayor of london. This is about 10 minutes