Home Secretary Amber Rudd has called the attack on “our shared values”, but said they would never be destroyed.
Rudd has been in Lahore in Pakistan, but is currently making her way back to London.
She said:
We do not yet know the full impact of this terrible incident. But I know that the whole country will be thinking and praying for those who are affected as I am. I want to thank the emergency services for the quick response and pay tribute to their bravery their courage and their professionalism.
I’ve been briefed by the Met Police and by the security services and the security minister has also been updated. This is an ongoing incident and the government will continue to be updated. The Prime Minister will chair Cobra today.
The Government’s top priority is the security of the people and I urge everyone to remain calm but to be vigilant and if they see anything they are concerned about they should report it to the police. We have the best police, the best security services in the world and we must make sure that we let them get on with doing their job.
The British people will be united in working together to defeat those who would harm our shared values. Values of democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. Values symbolised by the Houses of Parliament. Values that will never be destroyed.