Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Claire Phipps (now); Matthew Taylor, Kevin Rawlinson, Andrew Sparrow and Alexandra Topping (earlier)

Westminster attack: PC Keith Palmer named as police officer killed – as it happened

How the Westminster terror attack unfolded

We are closing this live blog now, but live coverage continues here:

Summary

Parliament will resume a few hours from now following Wednesday’s terrorist attack in the capital.

Here is what we now know:

  • Five people are now confirmed to have died in the attack on Westminster on Wednesday: one police officer, three members of the public, and the attacker.
  • The police officer has been named as PC Keith Palmer, 48, a member of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, with 15 years’ service in the force. He was unarmed.
  • Metropolitan police acting deputy commissioner Mark Rowleysaid Palmer was a husband and father:

He was someone who left for work today expecting to return home at the end of his shift and he had every right to expect that would happen.

  • The other victims of the attack, and the assailant, have not yet been named.
  • Police said 40 other people were injured; many remain in hospital, some in a serious condition.
  • Five South Korean tourists, four students from Ormskirk’s Edge Hill University, and a German woman resident in Australia have been identified as among the wounded.
  • Investigators say they believe they know the identity of the attacker, and that he is thought to have acted alone but was “inspired by international terrorism”.
  • The House of Commons will sit this morning, with prime ministerTheresa May saying the country would not be cowed:

Parliament will meet as normal. We will come together as normal.

And Londoners – and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great city – will get up and go about their day as normal.

They will board their trains, they will leave their hotels, they will walk these streets, they will live their lives. And we will all move forward together. Never giving in to terror. And never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart.

London is the greatest city in the world and we stand together in the face of those who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life.

  • UK foreign minister Boris Johnson, who is in the US for an international meeting discussing the Isis threat, said:

Heartbreaking. This is not the first attack on London or our Parliament - and won’t be the last - but our values will prevail.

  • The terror threat level for the UK remains unchanged, at “severe”. The Metropolitan police said extra patrols, armed and unarmed, would be in place, “particularly in crowded places and iconic locations”.
  • The Queen has postponed a planned visit to Scotland Yard that was due to take place today.
  • Roads around Parliament Square remain closed, as does Westminster Bridge, as police investigations continue.
  • Overnight, a police raid took place in the southwest of Birmingham. It is not clear if it is connected to the attack in London.

Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, has offered his condolences:

A terrorist attack has occurred in the United Kingdom. I offer my deepest condolences to the victims and extend my sympathy to all those who were wounded.

Terrorism is absolutely intolerable. Japan stands in solidarity with Prime Minister May of the United Kingdom, as well as with its people during this difficult time.

Prime Minister May has conveyed the message that the United Kingdom is firm in the fight against terrorism. Japan offers its full support to Prime Minister May and will combat terrorism in cooperation with the international community.

Front pages around the world

El País: Terrorism forces world’s first parliament to close

Gulf News: Car rampage, knife attack jolt London

De Morgen: Terror is back in London

Wall Street Journal: London rampage leaves 4 dead

The attack outside the Houses of Parliament in London is the latest in a series of terrorist atrocities involving a vehicle being driven at speed into pedestrians – a tactic actively promoted by Islamic State.

In December, a man whose asylum claim had been rejected by Germany drove a truck into a market in Berlin, killing 12. Last July a stolen truck driven through a Bastille Day parade in Nice killed 86. The strikes appear inspired, if not actively commissioned, by Isis in Iraq and Syria.

In November a student used a vehicle and knives to injure 13 on a campus in Ohio, in the US. His motives and allegiance are less clear.

Such attacks are not unprecedented, but have become much more numerous in recent years.

In 2014 the chief spokesman of the group, Mohammed al-Adnani, issued a call for sympathisers in the west to strike “unbelievers”, especially police officers or soldiers, where they were – rather than travel to the middle east to fight there.

“If you are not able to find a bomb or a bullet, then smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him,” he said.

Though al-Adnani, who was killed in 2016, pointed a finger specifically at France, where there were two vehicle attacks in 2014, he also cited the UK among preferred targets.

• This section of the live blog was amended on 23 March 2017 to clarify a reference to the Berlin truck attacker.

Updated

The brother of a British aid worker murdered by Isis in Syria has appealed for calm in the wake of the Westminster attack, Press Association reports:

David Haines was beheaded in Syria three years ago by the group after being held prisoner for 18 months.

His elder brother Mike, who works with groups to combat extremist indoctrination of young people in the UK, said it was “vital” that communities “remain calm and united”, regardless of the motive.

Mike Haines said: “My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims of this tragic attack in the heart of our nation’s capital.

“In the midst of the hurt and heartache that we are all feeling in this moment, it is vital that we as a society remain calm and united, no matter who or what was behind this attack.

“Terrorism, in all its guises, seeks to spread fear and divide us. In confronting this evil, we must stand shoulder to shoulder, with confidence that we are all stronger when we stand together.

“The reports of kindness and solidarity amongst those on the scene, proves our togetherness.

“Whatever the motivations, they will not succeed in sewing distrust amongst us – I have seen first hand that we are stronger than that.”

It’s still early in London but pre-dawn travellers are still being advised to avoid the Westminster area:

BBC Newsnight reported late on Wednesday evening that the car used in the attack could have been rented in Birmingham. The Guardian has not been able to verify this report.

West Midlands police – according to a statement cited by the Telegraph, the Daily Mail and others – has said of the raid that saw a road in southwest Birmingham closed for around two hours overnight:

There is an ongoing police operation, no further details are being given at this stage.

WMP referred media enquiries to the Metropolitan police in London, which said it would not be commenting for “operational reasons”.

Londoners have expressed defiance after the terrorist attack at Westminster, sharing messages of solidarity on social media.

#WeAreNotAfraid was trending in London as users reacted to the deaths of five people, including the attacker, on Wednesday and expressed gratitude and support for the work of emergency services.

Comedian and actor Margaret Cabourn-Smith characterised this tenor of the response, tweeting: “#WeAreNotAfraid Or rather I am; but I’m damned if I’m going to let that stop me doing anything differently.

“I’m a bladdy Londoner.”

A police raid has taken place in the early hours of Thursday morning in Birmingham, where Hagley Road in the southwest of the city was cordoned off for a while.

At this point it is not clear whether this is in any way related to the attack in London. I’ll have more details here if they emerge.

The lights of the landmark in Paris were turned off at midnight as a mark of respect for the victims of Wednesday’s terror attack in Westminster.

Eiffel Tower goes dark in remembrance of London attack victims

ABC’s Leigh Sales reports that the Australian permanent resident caught up in the Westminster attack is being treated for injuries sustained when the attacker’s car ran over her foot.

She is originally from Germany but now lives in South Australia.

Malcolm Turnbull and Australian Labor leader Bill Shorten are offering condolences to the UK in the Canberra parliament now, with the British High Commissioner Menna Rawlings looking on.

Turnbull said:

As prime minister Theresa May said earlier this morning, the values of the British parliament command the admiration and respect of free people everywhere. And so they do because they are our values too. We stand, all of us, with the UK. Comforted that we share those values. They’re ours. Freedom of speech, democracy, the rule of law. We will never give in to terror.

He said of British MP Tobias Ellwood, who assisted attempts to resuscitate the police officer, PC Keith Palmer, who was fatally stabbed:

This act of heroism is just one of the extraordinary stories that are emerging from this tragedy.

Shorten paid tribute to Palmer:

The murder of the Metropolitan police officer reminds us of the risks our security agencies take on our behalf to keep us safe. And on behalf of all honourable members I want to acknowledge and thank our Australian federal police and the parliamentary security officers for whom this news must strike a particular chord.

(Thanks to my colleague Gabrielle Chan on the Australian politics live blog for the quotes.)

Australian resident injured in London attack

Australia’s attorney general, George Brandis, has said “an Australian permanent resident” was injured in the attack in Westminster and is in hospital.

Consular staff in London are offering the woman assistance, he said.

He added:

We stand in solidarity with the people of the United Kingdom.

Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull says the injured person lives in South Australia.

Updated

Thursday’s Guardian editorial calls for solidarity in the wake of the terror attack on Westminster and pays tribute to the officers who intervened:

The security forces and police have planned for what they call a “marauding attack” for years. The awful choreography of the response to terror was fast and well-rehearsed. The police officer who later died of his injuries stopped the attacker at the gates off Parliament Square. Before the man had gone a pace or two further, he himself was shot by an armed officer. These two courageous interventions almost certainly saved scores of lives in a busy area thronged with politicians, visitors and some of the hundreds of staff who work in the palace.

There will be many questions to ask in the coming days about what was known of the attacker and his associates, but for now, there can only be a wholehearted appreciation of the professionalism with which the police did their job.

Flowers have been laid at the scene after the attack on Westminster Bridge.
Flowers have been laid at the scene after the attack on Westminster Bridge. Photograph: Hannah Mckay/Reuters

Donald Trump Jr is facing a backlash for criticising London mayor Sadiq Khan with a scornful tweet sent hours after an attack at the Houses of Parliament left five dead, including a police officer and the attacker.

The US president’s eldest son tweeted a link to a September 2016 story in the Independent, which quoted Khan saying terror attacks were “part and parcel of living in a big city … I want to be reassured that every single agency and individual involved in protecting our city has the resources and expertise they need to respond in the event that London is attacked.”

“You have to be kidding me?!” Trump Jr tweeted, quoting only the headline: “Terror attacks are part of living in big city, says London Mayor Sadiq Khan”.

It’s unclear if the president’s son read the article or understood that the quote was from six months ago and not a response to the Wednesday attack, which police are treating as a terrorist incident.

Updated

The Hyundai driven by the attacker raced over Westminster Bridge, mounting the pavement and mowing down pedestrians. Three members of the public are now believed to have been killed here, and up to 40 injured.

The car then veered across a cycle lane and smashed into parliament’s perimeter wall. A man jumped out of the car and rushed through the gates into New Palace Yard where he fatally stabbed PC Keith Palmer. The attacker was then shot several times by armed officers.

How the Westminster attack unfolded

What happened in Westminster was witnessed by a number of parliamentary journalists, whose offices immediately overlook New Palace Yard, the cobbled square through which many MPs and peers drive each day to access parliament’s underground carpark:

Quentin Letts, the Daily Mail’s parliamentary sketchwriter, has a desk near the window overlooking the yard; on hearing a loud crash and some screams, he told BBC news, he and his colleagues rushed to see what was happening.

“Then I saw a thick-set man dressed in black clothes, he looked I would say about 40 years old, I don’t think he had much hair, running … through the gates. He seemed to have something in his hand, a stick or something like that.”

A policeman who tried to challenge the man had fallen over, Letts said, “and the attacker was hitting him, possibly striking him or knifing him”. The weapon was a knife, and the stab wounds inflicted would prove fatal. The victim was later named as PC Keith Palmer, a 48-year-old officer with 15 years’ service who was a husband and father.

The attacker then ran towards the entrance of the parliament building that is used by MPs each day. “He got about 15 yards or so when he was shot by two plain-clothes men who had come out of the building, having been summoned by the uniformed police,” said Letts. Before shooting, they shouted something at the man, “and he appeared to ignore them and still ran towards them, and they shot him about three times”.

Australian PM pays tribute to 'mother of parliaments'

The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has extended Australia’s “heartfelt sympathy and resolute solidarity” to the people of the UK.

The attack in the British parliament is an attack on parliaments, freedom and democracy everywhere.

Westminster is rightly known as the mother of parliaments.

Almost every element of our parliamentary tradition, here in Australia, is modelled on that of the houses of parliament in London.

We send our condolences, especially to the families of the victims, those injured, including a police officer murdered by the terrorist.

Turnbull said he had received briefings on the attack from Australia’s counter-terrorism coordinator, Tony Sheehan, and the high commissioner in London, Alexander Downer. He had also spoken to the Australian federal police commissioner and the director general of security, Duncan Lewis.

Turnbull added that there would be an increased police presence in Canberra’s Parliament House on Thursday.

Australians should be reassured that our agencies are today, as every day, working relentlessly to keep Australians safe.

We are very alert to the vulnerabilities of places of mass gathering and the risk of lone attackers, like the terrorist in London.

Keeping Australians safe is our highest priority. It is the first duty of my government.

See more in our Australian politics live blog:

The South Korean embassy in London has sent officials to two London hospitals where five South Korean victims are being treated, media in Seoul have reported. All of the injured South Koreans are believed to be aged in their 50s or 60s.

A South Korean foreign ministry official said the embassy had entered emergency mode since the terrorist attack, according to KBS World Radio. The report added that South Korean nationals travelling in the UK had been sent text messages alerting them about possible risks.

“Three of the four women and a man sustained relatively light injuries but the other woman sustained an injury to her head and underwent surgery at a nearby hospital,” KBS World Radio reported, saying the tourists were hurt when they were caught in a stampede of people fleeing the attack on Westminster Bridge.

The Seoul Shinmun, a daily broadsheet, reported that the 67-year-old female victim, who has been identified only as Park, was not directly injured by the vehicle driven deliberately by the attacker into pedestrians on the bridge, but fell to the floor. She is undergoing surgery at St Mary’s hospital, Paddington.

Park arrived in London a day earlier together with her husband and was scheduled to leave for Paris later on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing officials.

Of the four other South Koreans injured in the incident, two required surgery due to a clavicle fracture or arm fracture, and the remaining two patients complained of pain, according to the Seoul Shinmum.

Donald Trump has tweeted for the first time about the attack on London (a tweet was earlier sent from the @Potus account, which is run by White House staff).

Police officers across the UK have expressed sorrow at the death of PC Keith Palmer, Press Association reports:

Greater Manchester Police chief constable Ian Hopkins said: “RIP PC Keith Palmer, brutally murdered today carrying out his duty helping to protect parliament and the freedom of our country.”

The Metropolitan Police Federation, which represents officers from the force, said: “PC Keith Palmer. Our brave Met police colleague who today made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Edge Hill University, in Ormskirk, Lancashire, has confirmed that some of its students were injured on Westminster Bridge.

In a statement, the university said the group – believed to have been 13 students and their lecturer – had been visiting the capital on a field trip.

Two students were taken to hospital. Owen Lambert, 18, from Morecambe, Lancashire, needed stitches to a head wound, and Travis Frain from Darwen, who, according to a tweet from a local journalist, had a cracked rib plus hand and arm injuries. His mother, Angela Frain, confirmed he was in hospital:

I have spoken to him at 3.20pm and I know he’s OK. He’s at the hospital with a police officer. The police officer just said he was in good spirits.

Two other students are believed to have minor injuries but were not hospitalised. All others on the trip were safe and accounted for, the university said.

Dr John Cater, vice-chancellor of Edge Hill, told BBC North West Tonight:

They had just actually finished their session, were leaving the parliament building and in the Westminster Bridge area where we understand … they were involved in the incident.

We understand that two students have been taken to hospital but as walking wounded – one with a head wound and one with a wrist injury. There are two other students who have minor injuries who are with police and acting as witnesses.

The good news is that the other nine students are now back in a hostel receiving support and will return to the north-west tomorrow.

The details are invariably hazy … Our assumption is that they were either knocked over by other people or struck by the vehicle. Obviously all of them will be somewhat traumatised by what they have seen as well.

The students are due to return to Ormskirk on Thursday.

What we know so far

  • Five people are now confirmed to have died in the attack on Westminster on Wednesday: one police officer, three members of the public, and the attacker.
  • The police officer has been named as PC Keith Palmer, 48, a member of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, with 15 years’ service in the force. He was a husband and father.
  • The other victims of the attack, and the assailant, have not yet been identified.
  • Police said 40 other people were injured; many remain in hospital tonight, some in a serious condition.
  • Investigators say they believe they know the identity of the attacker, and that he is thought to have acted alone but was “inspired by international terrorism”.
  • Parliament will resume on Friday morning.

The intelligence agencies have been warning of such an attack almost since the London bombings in July 2005. As late as last November, the head of Britain’s domestic security agency, MI5, Andrew Parker, said unequivocally in an interview: “There will be terrorist attacks in this country.”

Even though they had known it would happen one day, there was soul-searching at MI5 headquarters, Thames House, just a 10-minute walk from the events at Westminster. They know they cannot stop every attack but there is still a sense of devastation when it happens.

There will be lots of soul-searching reviews to see whether there is anything they could have done to stop it. But the intelligence agencies have long warned that it is hard to prevent such lone-actor attacks.

Knowing that eventually someone would get through, Parker had a well-rehearsed plan in place and, as soon as word came through from the police that there had been an incident at Westminster, his teams began to swing into action and will be working through the night.

The security services, having established his identity, would have had to make sure that he was indeed working alone and not part of a network. The working assessment is that his actions were Islamic State-inspired.

Police have not yet identified the attacker, who died after being shot by an armed police officer within the Westminster security cordon.

The Guardian understands the initial working theories of the investigation are that the attacker was inspired by Isis and was most likely a “lone actor”.

Police have said they believe they know who he is and described him as “inspired by international terrorism”.

The front pages of Thursday’s papers have been published, with some focused on MP Tobias Ellwood’s unsuccessful fight to save the life of PC Keith Palmer, the unarmed police officer who rushed to confront the knife-wielding man; and others picturing the attacker himself.

The Guardian

The i

The Times

The Times chose to feature attempts to resuscitate both the police officer and his attacker:

The Sun

The Sun pictured the attacker and the police officer, across a wrap-around front (we are not including here the back page, which shows the body of the dead officer):

The Daily Telegraph

The Telegraph and others focused on the as-yet unnamed attacker, pictured as paramedics fought to keep him alive:

The Daily Mail

The Mirror

The Daily Express

Five South Korean tourists injured

Yonhap news agency in Seoul reports that five South Korean tourists were injured in the attack on Westminster Bridge.

It cites a tour agency official saying four “sustained light injuries, and another serious injury … They are now being treated at two hospitals.”

Yonhap says the seriously injured tourist has been identified as “a 67-year-old woman surnamed Park”. It says she is being treated at St Mary’s hospital, in Paddington, for a head injury sustained when she fell in the scramble to leave the bridge.

Updated

My colleague John Crace, the Guardian’s parliamentary sketchwriter, who works from our Westminster office, witnessed the death of PC Keith Palmer this afternoon.

He writes here of the shock of the attack:

The mind goes numb at times like these. A disconnect between brain and feeling. So it took me the best part of an hour to make sense of what I had seen. But the simple truth is this. Today I saw a man die. A police officer, someone I had almost certainly said “hello” to at some point over the years. Possibly even this morning …

Armed police officers ran to the scene. Some started tending to the bodies; others stood around. Another man came running out. I didn’t recognise him. None of us did, we must have all been in shock. It later turned out he was Tobias Ellwood, a junior foreign minister whom we had all seen countless times before.

Time stretched out as people began to do CPR on both bodies. Then after what felt like an age later, but can only have been a matter of minutes, there was the noise overhead of the air ambulance preparing to land in Parliament Square.

Several armed police officers ran from New Palace Yard to talk to three paramedics dressed in yellow. They bypassed the first body – the assailant – and went straight to work on the fallen policeman. The scene became more ordered, yet more urgent. They worked for several minutes, hoping for a miracle that never came.

“London is the greatest city in the world and we stand together in the face of those who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life,” the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said earlier. “Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism.”

Sadiq Khan says ‘Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism’.

The lockdown of Westminster is over, police have confirmed.

Mark Rowley, acting deputy commissioner of the Met, said hundreds of officers would continue through the night in their work on the investigation into the attack:

We are forensically examining a complicated crime scene that covers a wide area, and as with all investigations of this nature it will take us some time to work through the painstaking work necessary to get all of the relevant evidence.

But parliament will reopen on Friday, with business in the chambers expected to resume. Several MPs have already stated their intention to return to Westminster in the morning.

Police have said some entrances to the parliamentary estate will be closed as they are part of the crime scene.

The terror threat level would stay the same – “severe” – Rowley confirmed, adding:

On a precautionary basis across the country we are stepping up police patrols – unarmed and armed – and the public will see far more of their local police forces over the forthcoming days, particularly in crowded places and iconic locations.

The Metropolitan police has confirmed that PC Keith Palmer was unarmed.

Acting deputy commissioner Mark Rowley explained:

Our parliamentary protection team are a combination of armed and unarmed officers doing different roles, and sadly the officer who lost his life today was unarmed.

He was supported by armed colleagues who shot and killed the attacker.

[The attacker] tried to enter parliament and was stopped at the gate.

Around the world, and as we have seen with other terror attacks in recent years, expressions of solidarity with London, and the UK, have been made.

Tel Aviv, Israel

The building of the city hall in Tel Aviv’s Rabin square is illuminated in solidarity for the attack on Westminster.
The building of the city hall in Tel Aviv’s Rabin square is illuminated in solidarity for the attack on Westminster. Photograph: Nir Elias/Reuters

Paris, France

The lights went out on the Eiffel Tower at midnight:

Birmingham, UK

The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has sent his condolences to the family of PC Keith Palmer. In a statement issued on Facebook, Khan said:

Tonight we have learned that the courageous police officer who was killed while protecting our city was PC Keith Palmer. He was 48 and a husband and father.

Keith Palmer was killed while bravely doing his duty – protecting our city and the heart of our democracy from those who want to destroy our way of life.

My heart goes out to his family, friends and colleagues.

He personifies the brave men and women of our police and emergency services who work around the clock to keep us safe – tonight all Londoners are grateful to them.

MPs and members of the House of Lords have been paying tribute to Keith Palmer, the officer who died today, as well as his colleagues who guard the parliamentary estate:

James Cleverly, MP for Braintree, says he knew PC Keith Palmer, the officer killed today, for 25 years. He paid tribute to him on Twitter this evening:

Updated

Speaking a short while ago, Met police acting deputy commissioner Mark Rowley said PC Keith Palmer, who was a member of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command, had given 15 years’ service:

He was someone who left for work today expecting to return home at the end of his shift and he had every right to expect that would happen.

Rowley confirmed that, besides Palmer, three members of the public were killed:

Also, at this stage, but it may change - we believe approximately 40 people were injured, some with serious injuries, including three police officers, two of whom are in a serious condition.

He added:

Terrorists have a clear aim and that is to create discord, distrust and to create fear. The police stand with all communities in the UK and will take action against anyone who seeks to undermine society, especially where their crimes are motivated by hate.

We must recognise now that our Muslim communities will feel anxious at this time given the past behaviour of the extreme right wing and we will continue to work with all community leaders in the coming days.

It’s essential for us to remain vigilant but to also work together – policing and communities – and unite against those who seek, through violence and extremism, to threaten, intimidate and cause fear.

We ask the public to be alert and to report any suspicious activity to the police by calling 0800 789 321, or dialling 999.

Whilst today is an incredibly sad and sombre day, especially for the MPS and everyone affected, it is only right that I mention the pride I feel in the swift and brave response from our officers – especially those who without fear for their own safety had to confront the terrorist.

Updated

UK foreign minister Boris Johnson, who is in the US for an international meeting discussing the Isis threat, has tweeted about the attack in London:

This is Claire Phipps picking up the live blog.

Police have issued a picture of PC Keith Palmer, the 48-year-old police officer killed at Westminster today. He was a member of the parliamentary and diplomatic protection command and had 15 years’ service in the force.

He was a husband and father.

PC Keith Palmer.
PC Keith Palmer. Photograph: Metropolitan police

Updated

He said the police believed they knew the identity of the attacker and were working to identify any associates, though he declined to give any further details. He said the man was thought to be inspired by international Islamist-related terrorism.

He added that he recognises Britain’s Muslim communities “will feel vulnerable at this time, given the past actions of right-wing extremists”.

Updated

The Met police have now confirmed that five people, including the attacker, died in the attack today. At least 40 people have been injured.

Updated

Police officer named as PC Keith Palmer

Assistant deputy commissioner Mark Rowley names the police officer who died as Keith Palmer, a 48-year-old husband and father.

Updated

My colleague Heather Stewart has some more information:

Downing Street sources said May spent the afternoon being briefed on the unfolding attack, and chairing a meeting of Cobra, Whitehall’s emergency committee.

Home Office minister Ben Wallace stood in for Amber Rudd, who gave a televised statement on the attack from Pakistan, before boarding a plane back to London.

Alan Duncan represented the Foreign Office, with Boris Johnson absent on a trip to Washington. Others present included health secretary Jeremy Hunt, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and security and police officers.

Both May and Khan are expected to make further public statements on Thursday; but the House of Commons will sit as planned. “The idea is very much business as usual,” the source said.

Updated

The campaign group Cage has expressed sympathy for today’s victims. It also called on the UK government to enact policies that will bring an end to the “global cycles of violence”.

Dr Adnan Siddiqui, its director, said:

We express our deepest sympathies to all those who have lost their lives in this incident and to those many injured.

While we accept that the security services and the police play a crucial role in keeping the public safe, such attacks which require very little planning cannot be thwarted by ever more securitisation and policing of communities. Reactionary policies in the UK have a global ramification and it is important that the government leads with policies that seek to end the global cycles of violence rather than further them.

Buckingham Palace has announced the Queen has postponed a planned visit to Scotland Yard tomorrow.

Updated

World leaders have condemned the attack in Westminster. The US president, Donald Trump, offered his condolences during a call to the prime minister, Theresa May, the White House said. He also pledged the “full cooperation and support of the United States government in responding to the attack and bringing those responsible to justice”.

The Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, also condemned the attack:

I was shocked and saddened to learn of the innocent people who were killed and injured as a result of this cowardly attack.

Canada and the UK are the closest of friends and allies. Our friendship is based on shared values and history – indeed, Canada’s parliament is a descendant of the chamber targeted this morning.

Today’s attack on the UK parliament is an attack on democracies around the world.

The Canadian parliament withstood a similar attack not so long ago by those who sought to instil fear and divide Canadians against themselves. Instead, Canadians came together. I am confident the British people will do the same, and will emerge from their grief stronger and more united than ever before.

On behalf of all Canadians, I offer our full support to prime minister May and to the people of the United Kingdom. We stand ready to offer all possible assistance to the British government, to do what we can to bring to justice those responsible for this heinous act.

Canadians stand united with the British people in the fight against terrorism. We will continue to work together with the UK and all our allies to show the world that freedom and democracy will always triumph.

The leader of the Democrats in the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, also released a statement:

Today, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, survivors, and people of the United Kingdom. The American people share in the outrage and horror at this brutal terrorist attack in London.

The special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States has been critical to securing peace around the world. Together, we will remain strong and smart as we confront terrorists and defeat the threats to our nations. The United Kingdom will always have a friend and partner in the American people.

During this difficult hour, we stand with the British people.”

Some clarification from the Met police. Acting deputy commissioner Mark Rowley said earlier that the officer who was killed was armed. “It has now been confirmed that he was not armed,” Scotland Yard says.

Prime minister's statement on today's attack

I have just chaired a meeting of the government’s emergency committee, Cobra, following the sick and depraved terrorist attack on the streets of our capital this afternoon.

The full details of exactly what happened are still emerging. But, having been updated by police and security officials, I can confirm that this appalling incident began when a single attacker drove his vehicle into pedestrians walking across Westminster bridge, killing two people and injuring many more, including three police officers.

This attacker, who was armed with a knife, then ran towards Parliament, where he was confronted by the police officers who keep us and our democratic institutions safe.

Tragically, one officer was killed. The terrorist was also shot dead.

The United Kingdom’s threat level has been set at severe for some time and this will not change. Acting deputy commissioner Rowley will give a further operational update later this evening.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all who have been affected; to the victims themselves and their family and friends who waved their loved ones off, but will not now be welcoming them home.

For those of us who were in Parliament at the time of this attack, these events provide a particular reminder of the exceptional bravery of our police and security services who risk their lives to keep us safe.

Once again today, these exceptional men and women ran towards the danger even as they encouraged others to move the other way.

On behalf of the whole country, I want to pay tribute to them and to all our emergency services for the work they have been doing to reassure the public and bring security back to the streets of our capital city.

That they have lost one of their own in today’s attack only makes their calmness and professionalism under pressure all the more remarkable.

The location of this attack was no accident. The terrorists chose to strike at the heart of our capital city, where people of all nationalities, religions and cultures come together to celebrate the values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech.

These streets of Westminster – home to the world’s oldest parliament – are engrained with a spirit of freedom that echoes in some of the furthest corners of the globe. And the values our parliament represents – democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law – command the admiration and respect of free people everywhere.

That is why it is a target for those who reject those values.

But let me make it clear today, as I have had cause to do before: any attempt to defeat those values through violence and terror is doomed to failure.

Tomorrow morning, Parliament will meet as normal. We will come together as normal.

And Londoners - and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great city - will get up and go about their day as normal.

They will board their trains, they will leave their hotels, they will walk these streets, they will live their lives. And we will all move forward together. Never giving in to terror. And never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart.

Updated

The statement is over and the prime minister does not take any questions

Updated

May says it is no accident that the attacker chose parliament which stands for democracy, freedom and rule of law.

She said that was why it is a target for those who reject those values, adding that any attempt to defeat those values through violence and terror is doomed to fail. Parliament will be open as normal tomorrow.

These streets of Westminster are ingrained with the spirit of freedom that echoes in some of the furthest corners of the globe.

Updated

She praises the exceptional bravery of police and security services who ran towards the danger as they encouraged others to move away. And pays tribute to the officer died.

Once again today these exemplary men and women ran towards the danger even as they encouraged others to move the other way...

That they have lost one of their own in todays attack only makes the calm and or under pressure all the more remarkable.

Updated

Prime minister Theresa May is speaking. She describes the attacks as “sick and depraved.”

Westminster attack: what we know

  • Four people have died and at least twenty have been injured in what police are treating as a terrorist incident in Westminster.
  • Police were called to an incident at Parliament square in central London at 14.40 (GMT).
  • An attacker drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing at least two and seriously injuring others. A badly-injured woman was rescued from the Thames.
  • The attacker then crashed into the railing of the Houses of Parliament, before attacking a police officer inside the gate of the Houses of Parliament.
  • The police officer died of his injuries. His assailant was shot and killed by police.
  • MP Tobias Ellwood attempted to resuscitate the officer, but he died at the scene.
  • A group of French students and students from the north West of England were among the injured.
  • Five London hospitals treated casualties: hospital officials said 12 people were treated for serious injuries, eight more were treated for less serious injuries at the scene.
  • Home Secretary Amber Rudd condemned the attack on “our shared values”, but said they would never be destroyed.
  • Large areas of central London were shut off to the public, and workers in the Palace of Westminster, including MPs were placed in lockdown for several hours.

Some further details on how the injured were treated today in London’s hospitals.

In total five London hospitals treated casualties. Staff from St Thomas’s, yards from the attack on Westminster Bridge, rushed to help the injured there.

But the most seriously hurt were taken to three of the capital’s four regional trauma centres: King’s College in Camberwell, St Mary’s in Paddington and the Royal London in Whitechapel. The Chelsea and Westminster hospital also dealt with some of the injured.

Four university students were injured as they were caught up in the attack on Westminster Bridge, the Press Association has reported.

They were among a group of 13 students and a lecturer from Edge Hill University, in Ormskirk, who were on the first day of a two-day educational visit to the Houses of Parliament.

The students had just left Parliament and made their way on to Westminster Bridge after they had watched Prime Minister’s Questions and met with MPs.

Among those injured were Owen Lambert, 18, from Morecambe, Lancs, who needed stitches to a head wound, and Travis Frain, from Darwen.

Dr John Cater, Vice Chancellor of Edge Hill University, told BBC North West Tonight: “They had just actually finished their session, were leaving the Parliament building and in the Westminster Bridge area where we understand ... they were involved in the incident.

“We understand that two students have been taken to hospital but as walking wounded - one with a head wound and one with a wrist injury. There are two other students who have minor injuries who are with police and acting as witnesses.

“The good news is that the other nine students are now back in a hostel receiving support and will return to the North West tomorrow.”

He added: “The details are invariably hazy I guess.Our assumption is that they were either knocked over by other people or struck by the vehicle. Obviously all of them will be somewhat traumatised by what they have seen as well.”

Earlier, the university tweeted: “All students and lecturer in Westminster have been accounted for and are being supported by the university.”

Ken Marsh, Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, has offered his sympathy to the family to the fallen officer and all those killed and injured. He said:

We offer our deepest sympathy to the family of the officer who has died. Our thoughts are also with all those killed and injured.

This incident sadly shows the dangers our colleagues face on a daily basis. They show incredible bravery protecting the public.

The Metropolitan Police Federation will be supporting the officer’s colleagues in any way we can.

Jeremy Corbyn: attack has shocked the country

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, has issued a statement:

Today’s horrific attack in Westminster has shocked the whole country. All our thoughts are with the victims of this outrage, their loved ones, families and friends.

Those victims include civilians and police officers, Londoners and visitors, subjected to a brutal and indiscriminate assault.

Our thanks and gratitude go to the police and emergency services who responded so bravely, and to those – including the MP Tobias Ellwood – who went to the aid of the injured and dying.

This was not only an attack on innocent people. It was also an attack on our democracy.

But I know that Londoners and people across the country will stand together in defence of our values and diversity.

Romania’s foreign ministry says two Romanians were wounded in a deadly attack in London’s Westminster, the Associated Press have reported.

The ministry said the two had been taken to a hospital for treatment. There were no further details on the identity of the two or how seriously they were injured. The ministry said it had been informed by authorities in London.

My colleague Haroon Siddique earlier talked to a man who was waiting outside St Thomas’s A&E trying to glean information about Two Romanian friends who he feared had been caught up in the attack.

He said a Romanian couple he met on a trip to Thailand, were on the bridge when it occurred. He was supposed to meet them at the London Eye but called when they failed to show up. We can’t confirm if it is the same people confirmed as injured by the Romanian foreign ministry.

Andy Sparrow is among those making his way home from Westminster, after all those who had been on lockdown were allowed to leave.

But stay with us here on the Guardian liveblog for news updates as we get them.

We are still waiting for a fuller statement from the prime minister who is chairing a Cobra emergency meeting this evening.

Pauline Cranmer, London Ambulance Service deputy director of operations, has given further details of the injured. She said:

Our thoughts are with the friends and families of those affected by today’s incident.

We treated 12 patients for serious injuries, who were all taken to hospital. Eight further patients were treated for less serious injuries at the scene.

We were called to the incident at 2.40pm today, with the first ambulance crew arriving within six minutes.

We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, London’s Air Ambulance and specialist teams trained to respond to this type of incident.

We have been working closely with other members of the emergency services at the scene, with our priority being to ensure patients received the medical help they needed as quickly as possible.

We declared a major incident and our priority was to assess patients and ensure that they were treated and taken to hospital as soon as possible.

I would like to thank our staff and the other emergency services who responded today.

Commenting on today’s attack in Westminster a spokesman for the Public and Commercial Services union, which represents Met police security staff in the Palace of Westminster and civil servants in nearby government buildings, said:

Our thoughts are with the victims of this horrific attack and their families. We also send our solidarity to police and security staff in parliament and all those who work in and around Westminster, including MPs, their employees and civil servants.

Updated

Westminster lockdown over

The lockdown of Westminster seems to be over, after several hours.

Around 1,000 people were in Westminster Abbey, including parliament workers as well as MPs. They were interviewed by police to see if they had any information that could help the inquiry.

All the people working on the parliamentary estate who were being held in Westminster Hall have also been allowed to leave. MPs who were held in other parts of the building have also been allowed out.

Updated

London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, has issued this video statement, saying Londoners will never be cowed by terrorism.

MPs have been released from inside the Chamber and I’ve just spoken to Green MP Caroline Lucas who was locked in along with many other MPs. She told me:

I was in the voting lobby and the doors slammed quite firmly and then we were told to stay inside. Everyone was mostly quiet, on their phones or iPads watching the news. A lot of people were thanking the chamber staff, security staff who we see every day who keep us safe.

We were told the House will sit as normal and then it was asked if we’ll be given a chance to pay tribute tomorrow and we were told that we would. And everyone filed out.

Updated

These are from Brendan Cox, whose wife, Jo, the Labour MP, was murdered last year by a far-right terrorist.

Updated

Travis Frain, a politics student at Edge Hill University, was one of those injured on Westminster Bridge, his family have confirmed.

Travis’s mother, Angela Frain, told the Guardian he was in “good spirits” and was in hospital. He reportedly suffered a cracked rib and minor injuries to his hand and arm in the attack.

Angela Frain, from Darwen in Lancashire, said: “I have spoken to him at 3.20pm and I know he’s OK. I’m waiting to hear back; his phone’s actually dead at the moment. He’s at the hospital with a police officer and his phone’s on charge so I haven’t spoken to him properly.

“The police officer just said he was in good spirits and he’s waiting to be x-rayed. I think that’s just for minor injuries. I haven’t got any information at all [about his injuries]; when I spoke to him at 3.20pm it was just a quick call to say that he was OK. I’m hoping to hear back from him in the next few hours but at this point that’s the only information I have.”

Updated

This is from Gordon Brown, the former prime minister.

These are from Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury.

And he retweeted this.

David Lidington, the leader of the Commons, has just told MPs in the chamber that they will be sitting tomorrow. This is from Rupa Huq MP.

And these are from Channel 4 News’ Michael Crick.

The flag above Scotland Yard is being flown at half mast to honour the heroism of its fallen officer and other victims of today’s attack.

Full story of MP Tobias Ellwood's heroism

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood (centre) helps emergency services attend to a police officer outside the Palace of Westminster, London, after a policeman was stabbed and his apparent attacker shot by officers in a major security incident at the Houses of Parliament. PRESS ASSOCIATION
Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood (centre) helps emergency services attend to a police officer outside the Palace of Westminster, London, after a policeman was stabbed and his apparent attacker shot by officers in a major security incident at the Houses of Parliament. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Foreign minister Tobias Ellwood attempted to resuscitate the police officer fatally attacked outside parliament and stemmed the blood from the multiple stab wounds.

Ellwood, a former soldier, was pictured kneeling over the policeman’s body as he gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in a bid to save the officer’s life.

Ellwood was surrounded by paramedics, police officers and doctors as he tried to treat the injuries, and remained with the victim until the air ambulance arrived. The officer was later confirmed dead.

The minister was later pictured with bloodied hands and forehead being comforted by officers in New Palace Yard.

Ellwood, a former captain in the Royal Green Jackets who served in Kuwait, has personal experience of terrorism after his brother Jonathan was killed in the 2002 Bali bombings.

A source told the Telegraph: “[Ellwood] tried to give mouth-to-mouth and stem blood flow from multiple stab wounds to the officer until the chopper and medics arrived.”

The police officer is among four who had been confirmed dead as part of the incident which is being treated as a terror attack, while at least twenty have been injured.

Ellwood has been a Conservative MP for Bournemouth East since 2005 and was appointed parliamentary under-secretary at the Foreign Office in July 2014.

Updated

More details have emerged about those injured in today’s attack.

King’s College hospital have confirmed that the major trauma unit have treated eight victims, six males and two females.

Two are in a critical condition and six are in a stable condition.

Updated

A visitor to Parliament jumped to the aid of the stricken police officer moments after he was attacked.

Tony Davis, a coach for the British Lionhearts, the British boxing team, tried to revive the officer moments after seeing him stabbed with two knives.

Davis was identified from photographs by members of his team. They said he went to help the police officer moments after he was stabbed. One member of the team, who asked not to be named, said:

The attacker has two knives and was stabbing the officer. Then, shots rang out and the attacker fell to the floor.

Tony jumped over a fence and ran to the police officer and tried to revive him. The officer started to fit, but Tony was still working on him.

There were lots of officers around, but they were trying to revive both men.

Davis, who is a former serviceman, was leading the British Lionhearts boxing team at the House of Commons to attend a press conference.

Davis was with the team on a publicity visit ahead of an international bout.

“Tony hopped over the fence to assist straight away,” said a member of the team.

He was later seen being comforted by police officers as he wore a bloodied team T-shirt.

Updated

Parliamentary staff have been emailed by security saying people in Millbank and Tothill Street can leave the buildings. But everyone in the Palace of Westminster must continue to stay put until further notice. Welfare support has been offered to anyone who needs it. Most MPs and staff stuck in the offices and corridors of Norman Shaw North are pretty calm though - most glued to television sets or huddled round mobile phones, and a few quietly getting on with their work.

Updated

The UK Parliament has confirmed it will be open as usual tomorrow.

Home Secretary says British values "will never be destroyed"

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.

Updated

Downing Street have just issued this statement. It’s from a Number 10 spokesman.

The thoughts of the PM and the government are with those killed and injured in this appalling incident, and with their families.

The PM is being kept updated and will shortly chair COBR.

The Ukip leader, Paul Nuttall, has issued this statement about the attack.

A terrible attack on our democracy has taken place today. My thoughts tonight go out to the victims of this terrorist atrocity and their families.

Once again the emergency services have demonstrated the extraordinary work they do on our behalf. That a police officer is among the dead underlines the debt of gratitude we all owe those who work to keep us safe.

In the coming hours and days more information will doubtlesly emerge about the attacker or attackers and their motivation. In the meantime everyone should resolve that terrorism will never beat us.

Updated

I’m in Westminster Hall waiting to be evacuated and have just bumped into Julian Lewis, the Conservative MP who chairs parliament’s defence committee. He told me:

It is always open to any lunatic with a fanatical outlook on life to mount an attack against innocent people in pursuit of their fixations and we have to be ever grateful to those who defend us on the perimeter of this building which was attacked before by the IRA and which has been anticipating this possibility ever since 11 September 2001.

We were recalled to parliament for an emergency session on Friday 14 September, and that was the first time we had he presence of police armed with sub machine guns openly guarding the Palace of Westminster - and they’ve been here ever since.

Updated

Five of the injured and have been taken to the major trauma centre at Kings College Hospital London, according to the BBC.

Steve White, chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, which represents tens of thousands of rank-and-file officers, has paid tribute to the officers involved in the incident.

He said:

No words can capture how members of the policing family will feel after today’s horrific events.

We have lived in the knowledge that an attack on UK soil has been highly likely for nearly three years. Everyone is firmly aware of this fact, but it makes it no less shocking when it becomes a reality.

This incident highlights the very real risks that police face each and every day. Officers will tonight take the opportunity to hug loved ones and seek comfort in the company of friends and family. But one will not. The pain of that officer’s family, friends and colleagues will be shared by us all.

Our hearts go out to their family and our thoughts are with them and their colleagues at this terrible time along with others who have been injured today.

Updated

Here is some more international reaction to the attack.

From Donald Tusk, president of the European council:

From Angela Merkel, the German chancellor:

Speaking in Berlin Merkel said:

Even if the background to these attacks has yet to be cleared up, I would like to emphasise on behalf of Germany and its citizens: we stand resolutely on Britain’s side in the fight against any form of terrorism.

Berlin mayor, Michael Müller, expressed his solidarity with the citizens of London while speaking at a campaign event with SPD candidate Martin Schulz, saying he had been due to meet the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, next week. “Especially in times like these, it is important that friends stand together,” Müller said.

From the French president, Francois Hollande:

From the French embassy:

From Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the Danish prime minister:

Updated

More details are emerging about the French students injured on Westminster Bridge during the attack.

Ouest France reported that three students from the Saint-Joseph de Concarneau lycée (secondary school) were injured in the car attack. The paper said two of them were in a critical condition. The condition of the third is not known.

The pupils were in 2nd grade - aged 15 or 16. There were four classes from the school on a week-long visit to London, meaning more than 100 teenagers. Around a dozen were believed to have been on Westminster Bridge at the time of the attack.

Forough Salami, vice-president of the Brittany regional council, was in London with two colleagues Anne Gallo and Mona Bras. She was with a delegation of 40 people from business and cultural circles invited to the Australian embassy.

“At the time of the attack, we weren’t nearby and we had difficulty having information, but we’ve just learned what hospital the three injured lycéens from Concarneau were being treated. The rest of the class was held on a boat with psychological councillors before being taken back to their youth hostel,” she told the local newspaper.

Updated

The former prime minister David Cameron has tweeted this.

Rex Tillerson, the new US secretary of state, said the thoughts and prayers of the American people were with the UK.

He said:

We condemn these horrific acts of violence, and whether they were carried out by troubled individuals or by terrorists, the victims know no difference.

The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, said that President Trump had spoken by phone to Theresa May about the incident, adding that the US was continuing to monitor the situation.

“We obviously condemn today’s attack in Westminster,” he told reporters, noting that the UK government was treating it as a terrorist incident.

We applaud the quick response of British police and first responders.

Spicer said “our thoughts and prayers” are with the victims and the UK has the “full support of the US government in bringing those responsible to justice”.

Police press conference

• Assistant commissioner, Mark Rowley, head of counterterrorism, confirmed that four people have died including one police officer and the attacker.

• Attacker ploughed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before crashing into the railing of the Houses of Parliament and exiting the car to continue the attack.

• Attacker then stabbed one of the armed officers protecting parliament, who has died.

• Police are currently working on the assumption that there was only one attacker.

• Two people died on Westminster Bridge

• At least 20 people have been injured, including three police officers who were returning from a commendation ceremony.

• The public should expect a heavier police presence on the streets of London in forthcoming days. He said: “Please be vigilant you will see more police officers armed and unarmed on the streets of London.”

• Police have deployed massive resources but they can call on the military if needed.

Rowley said:

This is a day we’ve planned for but hoped would never happen, sadly it’s now a reality.

Updated

Four people have died, police confirm, at least 20 injured

Police confirm that four people have died in the London attack today, including one police officer and the attacker.

Officers believe there was only one attacker at this stage. At least twenty people have been injured.

Updated

President Trump has spoken to Theresa May about the incident, NBC News reports.

Picture of suspected attacker

A picture of the suspected attacker being treated by emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster has emerged.

The suspected attacker is treated by emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster.
The suspected attacker is treated by emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Updated

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister, has issued this statement about the attack.

My thoughts are with everyone caught up in the dreadful incident at Westminster today, including the emergency services who responded bravely to ensure the safety of the many people nearby.

Following the incident the Scottish government has been liaising closely with Police Scotland and the cabinet secretary for Justice has been briefed by the chief constable.

This afternoon our officials held a Scottish government resilience (SGoRR) meeting with Police Scotland, to ensure that any potential implications for Scotland are considered and I will convene a Ministerial SGoRR meeting later this evening.

We have been in regular dialogue with the parliament and I fully support the decision of the presiding officer to suspend proceedings this afternoon. It should be made clear, however, that this was not because of any specific threat to the parliament or to Scotland

We are liaising with our counterparts in the UK government and the Scottish government stands ready to support in any way we can.

Reports of heroic behaviour from the MP and minister Tobias Ellwood, who has been pictured trying to resuscitate the police officer stabbed by an assailant.

The Conservative MP for Bournemouth East is a former armed serviceman with The Royal Green Jackets. His brother, Jon, died in the 2002 Bali bombings.

Daily Telegraph chief political correspondent tweeted that he saw Ellwood being comforted in New Palace Yard after his attempts to save the police officer’s life.

The BBC is reporting that Ellwood has said that the officer died at the scene.

Updated

A police officer is addressing us now. (By us, I mean the journalists and other people working in the Commons being held in Westminster Hall.) He says there has been a significant incident, and outside the building, New Palace Yard, is a crime scene. We are also witnesses, he says. So we will be held here for about 60 to 90 minutes.

After about an hour and a quarter they will take details from people. After that we will be allowed to leave, he says.

A second official is speaking now. He says they will prioritise anyone who needs medical help. Then they will pass around details allowing us to upload pictures and video of the incident. That will save them having to seize phones, he says.

Finally, they will “triage” witnesses, he says. He says this will require patience.

People in other buildings are going through the same process.

He asks anyone with medical needs to make themselves available.

In about half an hour they will pass round information about how to submit evidence, he says.

The Muslim Council of Britain has issued the following statement:

We are shocked and saddened by the incident at Westminster. We condemn this attack and while it is still too early to speculate on the motives, our thoughts and prayers are for the victims and those affected. We pay tribute too to the police and emergency services who handled this with bravery. The Palace of Westminster is the centre of our democracy and we must all ensure that it continues to serve our country and its people with safety and security.

Updated

Police officer has been killed, the Guardian understands

The Guardian understands that a police officer has been killed in the London attack.

Another police press conference is expected shortly.

Updated

The Speaker of the House of Commons and the Speaker of the House of Lords have issued a statement:

An extremely serious incident has occurred in the Westminster area this afternoon. The Metropolitan police is dealing with this and an investigation is under way.

On behalf of members of both Houses of Parliament, we wish to offer our thoughts to all those affected and their families.

We would also like to express our gratitude to the police and all emergency services.

Updated

The journalists who were in the press gallery are now being held in Westminster Hall. Armed police seem to be searching the Palace of Westminster room by room – quite an undertaking, because it’s a rabbit warren, with endless cellars, cubby holes, etc. And I’ve just seen a team go into the room where the Westminster Hall chamber is, guns raised as if they were on the alert. We’re told that they believe there may still be one suspect on the loose.

Updated

French PM confirms French students injured in London attack

The French prime minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, has confirmed that a number of French students were among casualties on Westminster Bridge.

Some witnesses said a group of French students were present.

Unconfirmed French media reports also state that students were present on Westminster Bridge at the time of the attack and that three have been hospitalised. There are no details as to their condition.

Journalist Polly Boiko tweeted:

Updated

The Labour MP Clive Efford wrote the following tribute to the work of those in the House of Commons:

Estimate about three to four hundred MPs on lockdown together in the HoCs. We’re huddling around TVs in the voting lobbies to find out what is going on.

There is a calm quietness around the place. We all knew a day like could come.

One of our police officers guarding the Palace of Westminster has been stabbed and have just heard the terrible news that a person has died.

Our thoughts go out to those who have been injured and the family of the person who has died.

The staff and police of the House of Commons are doing a fantastic job. They know that this building is very high on the list as a possible terrorist target which puts them at risk. They have been calmly going about their business and are showing complete dedication throughout this incident. They deserve a great deal of praise. We are all extremely grateful to them.

Updated

We’ve closed our GuardianWitness callout for eyewitness accounts as the Metropolitan police is asking for witnesses to share images and video with them. If you have any information here’s the link.

The Port of London Authority has confirmed that a seriously injured woman has been recovered from the Thames river.

Spokesman Martin Garside said:

A female member of the public was recovered alive from the water, but with serious injuries. She has been brought ashore and is undergoing urgent medical treatment. The working assumption is that she fell or jumped from the bridge.

He added:

The river is completely shut between Vauxhall Bridge and the Embankment. It was shut down almost immediately.

Updated

A police officer has just come into the Guardian office in the Commons. Journalists are being asked to leave the press gallery, and the police don’t know if, or when, we will be allowed back. That means this blog will now be in the hands of my colleague Alexandra Topping.

Updated

Here is an extract from the statement from the Metropolitan police commander, BJ Harrington.

Although we remain open-minded to the motive, a full counter-terrorism investigation is already under way. This is led by the Met counter-terrorism command.

At this stage I will confirm what we know has happened but I will not speculate. We received a number of different reports which included a person in the river, a car in collision with pedestrians and a man armed with a knife. Officers were already in that location as part of routine policing but immediately additional officers were sent to the scene and that included firearms officers. We are working closely with the London ambulance service and the London fire brigade ...

We know there are a number of casualties, including police officers, but at this stage we cannot confirm numbers or the nature of these injuries ...

The acting commissioner, Craig Mackey, is being treated as a significant witness as he was at the scene when the incident started. Whilst he is not injured, it would be inappropriate for him to be here to talk about this incident at this stage.

Our thoughts and his thoughts are with all those involved and responding to that incident this evening. I would stress that if anyone has information about today’s incident they are urged to call 0800789321 and I want to stress that if the public have any information or see anything suspicious to dial 999 immediately.

Updated

At least 10 injured, LAS confirm

The London ambulance service deputy director of operations, Pauline Cranmer, has confirmed that they have treated at least 10 patients on Westminster Bridge.

He said:

We can confirm we have treated at least 10 patients on Westminster Bridge and have put a number of hospitals on alert as we continue to respond to this incident.

We were called at 2.40pm today, with the first ambulance crew arriving within six minutes.

We have sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, London’s air ambulance and our Hazardous Area Response Team.

We are working closely with other members of the emergency services at the scene, with our priority being to ensure patients receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.

We have declared a major incident and our priority is to assess patients and ensure that they are treated and taken to hospital as soon as possible.

As we are very busy dealing with this incident, we would ask the public to only call us in a genuine emergency.

Updated

Police press conference

• Commander BJ Harrington said there were a number of casualties but would not confirm any fatalities or the nature of injuries.

• “We know there are a number of casualties including police officers but at this stage we can not confirm numbers or the nature of these injuries,” he said.

• Craig Mackay, the acting Met commissioner, is being treated as a “significant witness” as he was at the scene when the attack started.

• An investigation was launched immediately after the force received a number of different reports, which included a person in the river, a car in collision with pedestrians and a man armed with a knife.

Updated

This is from ITV’s Chris Ship.

At 4.40pm some MPs and visitors to parliament were led out through Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the Palace of Westminster, walking across the corner of New Palace Yard where the incident occurred.

There are still around 20 police cars, at least six ambulances and five fire engines on Parliament Square, next to the New Palace Yard entrance.

Updated

Q: Is the incident over?

Harrington says officers are still at the scene.

And that’s it. His briefing is over.

Commander BJ Harrington from the Metropolitan police is speaking to reporters now.

Firearms officers were sent to the scene, he says. He appeals to the public to avoid areas around Westminster. This is to allow emergency services to deal with the “ongoing incident”.

He says there are a number of injuries, including police.

He says extra police officers are being deployed across the capital. The acting commissioner is a significant witness, because he was at the scene, he says.

He asks anyone with information about this to call the police.

Updated

The Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood gave mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to the policeman who was stabbed, the Telegraph’s Ben Riley-Smith says.

World leaders have begun to react with shock to the incident in Westminster in which at least one person has died.
The US president, Donald Trump, described the incident as “big news” after he was updated on the situation. Trump told reporters: “I was just getting an update on London … some big news having to do with London just happened,” according NBC.
The US State Department said it was ready to assist the UK authorities in any way. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said: “We are following the concerning situation outside the UK parliament. Our hearts go out to those affected. We stand ready to assist in any way the UK authorities would find helpful. The safety and security of US citizens overseas is one of our priorities. Our embassy in London is monitoring the situation closely.”

The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, said: “Horrible images from London. The very heart of the city has been struck. Our thoughts are with the British people.”

Gibraltar’s chief minister, Fabian Picardo, said: “Shocked at attack on London. Yesterday I spent the day at Westminster. Luckily not today. London’s Parliament is the mother of democracy!”

Updated

The Met police are appealing for pictures or video footage of the incident.

In Victoria Street teams of firefighters, some arriving in unmarked cars, have gathered and are pulling on burgundy overalls with the word “rescue” on the back. They appear to be wearing body armour and helmets and are moving towards parliament.

Updated

One woman has died, others left with "catastrophic" injuries

Speaking to reporters outside the central London hospital, junior doctor Colleen Anderson from St Thomas’ hospital has said a female pedestrian had died.

She also said she treated a police officer in his 30s with a head injury who had been taken to King’s College hospital.

She said: “I confirmed one fatality. A woman. She was under the wheel of a bus. She died, confirmed her death at the scene.”

Anderson said: “There were people across the bridge. There were some with minor injuries, some catastrophic. Some had injuries they could walk away from ...[others] have life-changing injuries. There were maybe a dozen [injured].”

Updated

London mayor Sadiq Khan has issued a statement. The London mayor said an urgent investigation is underway and his thoughts are with those affected and their families. He also expressed his thanks to the police and emergency services for their rapid response.

Updated

You can share your eyewitness accounts, photos and videos or news tips direct with our journalists via GuardianWitness. You can click on the blue ‘Contribute’ button at the top of the live blog.

Please think about your security first before recording and sharing your content.

A meeting of Cobra, the government’s crisis committee, is expected to meet later with senior officials from government, counter-terrorism officials and the police present.

Updated

The Labour MP Barry Sheerman has tweeted a series of pictures showing MPs locked in the Commons chamber.

The intelligence agencies immediately put together teams to work on identifying who was involved in the attack and whether there was a link to a terrorist group.

If the attacker or attackers are from the UK, the domestic intelligence service MI5, which works closely with the police, will be looking at whether they were part of a wider network and working to track down associates.

The overseas intelligence agency MI6 will seek to establish whether there are any links to terrorists organisations in other countries.

One of the first questions raised will be whether the attacker or attackers had been under surveillance. The immediate response of the intelligence agents would be that if they had someone under surveillance and became aware an attack was imminent, they would have stepped in. But MI5 does not have the resources to maintain 24-hour surveillance on all possible suspects and has to make hard choices about who poses the highest risk.

Although symbolically parliament is one of the most high-profile targets in the UK, it is also one of the most heavily guarded. Without the high level of security, the casualty list could have been much higher.

Updated

Holyrood’s sitting to debate Nicola Sturgeon’s independence referendum demand was suspended at just after 15.55, after parliament authorities reversed an earlier decision to keep sitting.

About 20 minutes after his deputy Linda Fabiani told MSPs it would be “business as usual”, Ken McIntosh, the Scottish parliament’s presiding officer, told MSPs he was postponing the debate out of respect for Holyrood’s “sister parliament”. He said:

Members will know that there has been a serious incident at Westminster and Westminster has been locked down because of security concerns. I have certainly no reason to cause undue alarm here and security has been increased here.

Mike Jephcott, 38, was working at the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors which overlooks Parliament Square when he heard three gunshots.

“I looked at my colleague and said ‘I’m sure that’s gunshots’. There was panic and people running around,” he told the Guardian. “Police were running around.”

“We saw the car on the side down by Big Ben. It was quite scary. Our offices were on lockdown and we have been asked to evacuate now.”

Armed police walk past emergency services outside the Palace of Westminster.
Armed police walk past emergency services outside the Palace of Westminster. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Updated

More from Kirsten Hurrell, who witnessed the incident from her newspaper kiosk in Parliament Square. (See 3.51pm.)

Hurrell said that the car had come to a halt following shots.

“There were shots to stop the car. The car turned, went completely over the cycle lane and rammed nose-first into the parliamentary fence. There was someone on the ground on the right of the car. They didn’t look very good.”

Hurrell said her family had had her Newsstand kiosk for nearly 100 years. “I’m not surprised by what happened,” she said. “This was always potentially a hot spot. I lived through the IRA incidents. We have got a lot of experience with terrorism. With what’s going on in the world it’s not surprising.”

The emergency services had responded amazingly, she said. “They were magnificent. Quick to respond and quick to evacuate.”

Updated

Matt Haikin, 44. Westminster attack eyewitness
Matt Haikin, 44. Westminster attack eyewitness Photograph: Rob Booth

Matt Haikin, 44, from London who works in international development was on the scene immediately after one person was hit by a car and as shots were fired inside the parliament grounds. He told the Guardian he feared another Paris attack was under way.

“I was cycling from the West End up the Embankment and saw a black car on the pavement right next to Big Ben with the front all smashed in with a body next to it. I thought it was just an accident and carried on cycling past and noticed people running around and I thought ‘what is going on’. A few seconds later I heard shots coming from inside the parliament grounds. I then realised this was not just another accident.”

He said the body next to the car “wasn’t moving and there was a lot of blood”.

“There were students shouting because there was a lot of blood. It felt like about 10 seconds after [that I heard the shots] but it could have been a bit longer because by that point I was starting to get a bit scared. I think there were three or four shots but I couldn’t swear to that.”

He said the shots came from the yard in front of the Palace of Westminster.

“As I looked [through the railings] there were people milling around and I think a couple of bodies on the floor. I couldn’t tell if they were injured or had just been asked to lay down. The police at that point started to appear and were moving everybody back.

“I felt shock. At the point that I thought maybe this was a bigger thing I started to get scared, but it calmed down pretty quickly and then it was just, shit, what is going on.”

Updated

There is no official estimate of the number injured in the incidents today in Westminster, but police fear they may run into double digits.

Updated

An eyewitness has told Sky News that he saw a body in the Thames after the car drove into people on Westminster Bridge.

The London Eye has stopped and is currently holding all its “guests” within the attraction.

This Spanish tourist says he has been held for more than 20 minutes and has posted an image on Twitter.

The Scottish parliament has now suspended its sitting. This is from Humza Yousaf, a minister in the Scottish government.

Here are tweets from some MPs on the parliamentary estate.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in Westminster is currently in lockdown, according to reports.

The hospital said “staff and visitors at St Thomas’ and Evelina London hospitals are being advised to remain on site during the current security incident.”

Updated

After giving urgent medical attention to two injured people in Old Palace Yard - including CPR - medics have taken away one person in an ambulance. Another person remains prone on the cobbles, covered completely in a blanket. It seems certain they are dead. It is not known who the two people are, police, a potential attacker or attackers, or others.

Emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster.
Emergency services at the scene outside the Palace of Westminster. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

UPDATE:

Updated

This is clearly a difficult time for the police as they widen the cordon around Parliament Square.

Three vans bringing 16 officers as reinforcements just screeched up Victoria Street under blue lights.

One man confronted an officer and demanded to know why he couldn’t pass through the cordon and complained it was a free country.

“Not at the moment it isn’t,” the officer replied.

Updated

Tom McTague, chief UK political correspondent for Politico, has tweeted that police officers are walking across Whitehall towards Westminster Bridge with sniffer dogs.

Kirsten Hurrell, 70, was at her newspaper kiosk in Parliament Square when the incident happened.

What I heard myself was a crash. I looked up. I saw this car ploughing into the parliament fence. I thought initially it was some kind of accident. Then I heard a couple of sharp noises. It could have been gunshots. I wasn’t sure.

There was a lot of steam from the car. I thought it might explode. I telephoned the police but someone had already called them. I heard from someone else that the car had mown down people on the bridge.

I saw myself someone lying on the floor near the car. It looked like a cyclist. The car was in the fence.

Hurrell said she fled the scene without locking up her kiosk outside Portcullis House, home to dozens ofMPs.

There was a lot of steam coming out of the car. It looked like steam rather than smoke. I thought it was going to explode.

Updated

Video: footage of people on Westminster Bridge

Updated

London Ambulance Service deputy director of operations, Pauline Cranmer, said:

We were called at 2.40pm to Westminster Bridge to reports of an incident, with the first crew arriving within six minutes.

We have sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, London’s Air Ambulance and our Hazardous Area Response Team.

We are working closely with other members of the emergency services at the scene, with our priority being to ensure patients receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.

We have declared a major incident and our priority is to assess patients and ensure that they are treated and taken to hospital as soon as possible.

As we are very busy dealing with this incident, we would ask the public to only call us in a genuine emergency.

Emergency services staff provide medical attention nearby Westminster Bridge.
Emergency services staff provide medical attention nearby Westminster Bridge. Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP

Updated

John Stevens, the Daily Mail’s deputy political editor tweeted the below, from an apparently eye-witness perspective at 3.17pm.

As news of the attack at Westminster broke, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s first minister hurried from the debating chamber at Holyrood midway through the debate on her new Scottish independence referendum bid.

It is thought Sturgeon may be heading for a meeting of the Scottish government’s security and resilience committee. However, there was no obvious change in the level of policing and security at Holyrood where parliamentary business continued uninterrupted.

Murdo Fraser, the Scottish Tory economy spokesman, raised a point of order during the debate asking whether the sitting should be suspended due to events at Westminster.

Linda Fabiani, the deputy presiding officer, said the Holyrood authorities would not suspend the sitting. “It has been considered and it has been decided to carry on with business as usual,” she told Fraser.

The police says no terrorists have got into the parliament building.

We have been evacuated from Portcullis House to Norman Shaw North, the building next door. MPs have been told to go back to their rooms. We are being told conflicting information about where to go. I’m currently penned in a corridor with hundreds of people.

Updated

Owen Bennett, deputy political editor of the Huffington Post, posted an account on Twitter.

He said:

I heard what sounded like an explosion and raised voices outside parliament, and so I rushed to the window.

I saw people running past the entrance to the New Palace Yard entrance to parliament and then at least one person try to run into the Yard itself. A police officer chased this person and wrestled them to ground.

Shots were then fired but I can’t remember how many and I didn’t see who fired them. I ran down the stairs from my office overlooking the Yard to get more information, but the police prevented us from leaving the stairwell.

When I returned to my office, I could see two people lying on the ground outside Westminster Hall, but neither of these were the person I saw wrestled down by the police officer minutes earlier.

Updated

Quentin Letts, the Daily Mail’s parliamentary sketchwriter, said he saw a man in black attack a police officer outside Parliament before being shot two or three times as he tried to storm into the House of Commons, the Press Association reports.

“I saw a thick-set man in black clothes come through the gates into New Palace Yard, just below Big Ben,” he told the BBC.

He had something in his hand, it looked like a stick of some sort, and he was challenged by a couple of policemen in yellow jackets.

And one of the yellow-jacketed policemen fell down and we could see the man in black moving his arm in a way that suggested he was stabbing or striking the yellow-jacketed policeman.

The other officer ran to get help and the man in black ran about 15 yards towards the entrance, he said. He added:

As this attacker was running towards the entrance two plain-clothed guys with guns shouted at him what sounded like a warning, he ignored it and they shot two or three times and he fell.

This is to allow the emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident.

Officers - including firearms officers - remain on the scene and we are treating this as a terrorist incident until we know otherwise.

We thank the public for their assistance.

Police close to the Palace of Westminster.
Police close to the Palace of Westminster. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA

Updated

I’m outside Downing Street - 200 metres from Parliament Square - where police are in force and there is a nervy mood. Met officers have taped off the pavement and are clearing the public - tourists, workers, passersby - back towards Trafalgar Square.

Unmarked police vehicles have blocked off the road to parliament at Horse Guards Parade. A helicopter is flying low above the Foreign Office and the PM’s residence. Trafalgar Square is a log-jam of buses and cars.

“It’s a serious incident, sir. Please keep moving,” one officer said.

Updated

I’m at the police cordon at Victoria Street and Parliament Square.
Police are telling the public to move back for their own safety. One constable said there were “various serious incidents going on. It’s not safe to be around here at the moment”. The police are clearly agitated.
There’s an air ambulance and about 15 police vehicles in the otherwise deserted square. Outside Westminster Abbey, groups of tourists are taking snaps oblivious of this afternoon’s incident.

Updated

A senior police source has confirmed that Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command was involved in an investigation following this afternoon’s incidents.

The early police view emerging from the chaos is that there were probably two sites of attack: Westminster Bridge where people may have been run over, and parliament itself, where it appears an officer was stabbed and the attacker shot.

Plans for a London-wide emergency have been put into place as a precaution. Police are hopeful the incidents are over.

Updated

Theresa May, the prime minister, was rushed into a car 40 yards from the gates outside parliament where shots were fired minutes after the incident occurred, according to footage filmed by a member of staff.

She was ushered by at least eight armed undercover police, some with their firearms drawn, into a waiting black vehicle in Speaker’s Court, the footage seen by the Guardian shows. Loud bangs can be heard in the background as she is ushered into the car, but it is unclear whether the bangs were gunshots.

Updated

What we know so far

  • There have been two serious incidents near the British parliament.
  • Police have confirmed they are currently treating the events as a terrorist incident.
  • A police officer has been stabbed inside the gate of the Houses of Parliament in central London, the Commons leader, David Lidington, has said.
  • The Guardian understands that a police officer has been killed in the attack.
  • The alleged assailant was shot by armed police following a “serious” incident.
  • There are further reports of a car driving into a number of people on Westminster Bridge, before driving into the railings of the Palace of Westminster.
  • Police fear the number of injured is in “double digits”. The London Ambulance Service confirmed they have treated ten victims.
  • Westminster is currently in lockdown with MPs told to remain in the main chamber or in their offices.
  • Scotland Yard said it was called to a firearms incident on Westminster Bridge amid reports of several people injured.
  • Transport for London said Westminster underground station has been shut at the police’s request.

Updated

The aftermath of the apparent knife attack, which seemingly saw the attacker shot by police, could be seen in Old Palace Yard, the courtyard directly outside parliament.

At least one person could be seen prone on the ground, tended to by ambulance staff. An air ambulance landed on the grass of Parliament Square, and medical crews rushed in. However, they soon stepped back, and there was no sign of anyone being taken away.

While police looked clam, dozens of armed officers could be seen in the area. At one point, a group of about a dozen officers armed with guns arrived, some also carrying shields. They marched into parliament.

Updated

More from the Met police ...

Updated

Some pictures from the scene.

Police secure the area on the south side of Westminster.
Police secure the area on the south side of Westminster. Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP
A armed police officer stands guard outside the Houses of Parliament.
A armed police officer stands guard outside the Houses of Parliament. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Police secure the area on the south side of Westminster Bridge
Police secure the area on the south side of Westminster Bridge Photograph: Matt Dunham/AP
Armed police officers enter the Houses of Parliament
Armed police officers enter the Houses of Parliament Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP

Here is David Lidington’s statement to MPs about 20 minutes ago in full.

Colleagues will have appreciated that events have been moving rapidly and I want to emphasise that the knowledge that I have which is definite is so far very limited. What I am able to say to the House is that there has been a serious incident within the estate. It seems that a police officer has been stabbed; that the alleged assailant was shot by armed police. An air ambulance is attending the scene to remove the casualties. There are also reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity.

BBC journalist Andrew Neil has tweeted that “para-military” style police are currently all over Westminster.

Police officer stabbed, and attacker shot by armed officers, MPs told

Commons leader David Lidington has told MPs a “police officer has been stabbed” and the “alleged assailant was shot by armed police” following a serious incident within the parliamentary estate, PA reported.

In a packed House of Commons, Lidington said:

At the moment the very clear advice from the police and director of security in the house is we should remain under suspension and the chamber remain in lockdown until we receive advice that it is safe.

Updated

Sky have spoken to an eyewitness who said he saw a 4x4 vehicle crash into a person and a railing near Parliament, before the driver fled.

Updated

This is from the Daily Mail’s Jason Groves.

More from the Press Association.

Minutes after the incident, an emergency services helicopter landed in Parliament Square, as sirens were heard outside.

Air ambulance medics came from the helicopter to assist the casualties.

Two people lay on the ground in the yard. One of them appeared to have had clothes removed as emergency workers attempted to resuscitate the pair.

Parliament Square was closed to traffic.

An ambulance entered the gates to New Palace Yard.

Witness Don Brind told the Press Association he heard shots being fired and saw two people apparently injured on the ground.

Brind, a researcher for MPs, said: “I heard some shouting and saw some running out of the corner of my eye and then a short time after that there was a shot. I looked and I saw a civilian on the ground, with somebody standing over him with what I assumed to be a gun.

“Then I looked and about 10 yards away, there was a yellow jacketed person on the ground, who appeared to be alive and talking.”

He said he assumed the person in the high-visibility jacket was a police officer.

Pictures emerged of a car having crashed into the railings of Parliament at the end of Westminster Bridge

Press Association reporter Laura Harding, who was in Westminster at the time of the incident, said: “Everyone has been evacuated into Central Lobby, including a group of schoolchildren and kitchen staff.

“Around 15 schoolchildren aged around 10, with armed police coming through the lobby now.

“The children are really calm, the teachers are comforting them.

“Everyone is standing around on their phones.

“There are also a bunch of young people from the Hammersmith Boxing Club in their tracksuits and the British Lionhearts boxing group.”

Dennis Burns, who was just entering Parliament for a meeting when the security alert happened, told the Press Association: “As I was coming through the doors at Portcullis House, a policeman grabbed someone who was coming in and threw him out.

“As we were coming though the glass doors I was told by one security guard to get out while another one told me to get in.

“As I walked in I heard a security guard get a radio message saying ‘a policeman has been stabbed’.

“Then I walked in as police officers and security start rushing out of the front doors on to the street.

“When I got inside I was wondering what the hell was going on and I saw dozens of panicked people running down the street. The first stream was around 30 people and the second stream was 70 people.

“It looked like they were running for their lives.”

Radosław Sikorski, a Polish politician, has spoken to the BBC saying:

I didn’t see a car but I heard what I thought was a collision, I looked through the window of the taxi and I saw someone down obviously in great distress.

He then saw a further four people down on the ground, “one bleeding profusely”, he said.

According to Reuters, two people have been shot and at least a dozen injured.

These are from the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg.

Lidington says the advice from the police is that the sitting should remain suspended, and that MPs should remain in the chamber.

David Lidington, the leader of the Commons, is making a statement to MPs.

He says an alleged assailant was shot by police.

He says he cannot go into further details.

Luke Steele, a Campaigns Manager for Animal Aid has tweeted a picture from the scene.

MPs were told to wait in the Commons chamber when the sitting was suspended.

Unconfirmed reports of a car involved in the incident on Westminster Bridge, it is being treated as a “firearms incident” say police at the scene.

Radosław Sikorski, a senior fellow at CES Harvard has tweeted that a car has hit five people.

Updated

An air ambulance has landed on Parliament Square.

More from the Met police.

ITV’s Paul Brand has a periscope of the scene outside the Houses of Parliament.

This is from the Press Association.

There was a major security alert at the Palace of Westminster after a man apparently carrying a knife charged through the gates into the front yard of the parliamentary compound.

Amid shouts and screams, sounds similar to gunfire rang out.

Two people were seen to be lying within Old Palace Yard, immediately outside Westminster Hall.

The sitting in the House of Commons was suspended while police officers sealed off the area around the incident.

Immediately before the incident, at around 2.45pm, a crowd of passers-by was seen running from the direction of Westminster Bridge and around the corner into Parliament Square.

This is from the Daily Mail’s Quentin Letts, the paper’s parliamentary sketch writer. He works in the Commons.

Updated

This is from the Met Police.

The Press Association has snapped this.

Sounds similar to gunfire have been heard close to the Palace of Westminster. A man with a knife has been seen within the confines of the Palace, eyewitnesses said.

This is from the FT’s Jim Pickard. He was in Portcullis House a few minutes ago.

Updated

My colleague Jessica Elgot is in Portcullis House. She can see 10 to 20 police officers running to the front of the building.

About five minutes ago she saw a lot of people running along the street alongside.

I’m in the Guardian office in the press gallery at the Commons. Security officials have told us to stay where we are.

In the Commons chamber the sitting has been suspended.

Reports of shooting at House of Commons

There are reports of a shooting at the Commons.

MSP resume debate on the SNP's call for a second independence referendum

In Edinburgh MSPs will soon resume their debate on the SNP’s motion calling for a second independence referendum.

Before it starts, here is a reading list.

Nicola Sturgeon will be advised by one of her most senior colleagues to postpone a second independence referendum until she has overcome Scots’ opposition to it.

Alex Neil, a former Scottish Government Minister, is to tell Holyrood on Wednesday that calling a rerun of the 2014 vote without strong public support for another poll would damage the Nationalists’ chances of victory.

Speaking ahead of the conclusion of a two-day Scottish Parliament debate on a second referendum, Mr Neil told the Telegraph said Ms Sturgeon has “to make sure people are with us” before committing to a timetable.

In the key vote before the first referendum, MSPs unanimously agreed in November 2013 to pass the required bill.

There was no such consensus yesterday. It was trench warfare ...

The pro-UK parties tried to put a question mark over the final decision, which is non-binding, pointing out the SNP government has ignored a series of awkward votes against it of late, yet now holds up a vote in the Scottish Parliament as the pinnacle of democracy.

There was also a slew of insults. One SNP MSP said there was a gang of social media “abusers” on the Labour side, while a Tory likened Ms Sturgeon to “a fanatic”.

Some say the first referendum was a giant party. The next looks like the monstrous hangover.

Last time, people such as myself, arguing for a “no” vote, were able to talk of the UK as a force for good in the world — liberal, tolerant, multicultural, diverse, with a dynamic popular culture, fizzing with creative energy.

This is still true, to an extent. But it has been obscured for the moment by a Brexit campaign that has emboldened an atavistic side of Britain that, to Scottish eyes, is not only foreign but alien.

This is a Britain that turns away refugee children fleeing war. This does not feel like home. This does not feel like a country worth fighting for. It feels less precious than before.

In 2014 the UK survived because turnout in No areas was higher than turnout in Yes areas. I find it hard to imagine, next time, the same rush to the polling stations to rescue this Union ...

Another factor is the apparent inability of Theresa May to envisage a Brexit Britain that involves good news for Scotland. I was speaking to a source close to the first minister last week who admitted that if the prime minister had packaged up some key powers to be repatriated from the EU and presented them to Holyrood last month, tied up with a neat tartan ribbon, it would have made it very hard for Ms Sturgeon to have taken the first step last week towards a new referendum.

And, for anyone who is interested, here is the record of yesterday’s debate (pdf).

Lunchtime summary

  • May has defended the Conservative party’s response to the accusations that led to it receiving a record £70,000 fine for not properly declaring election expenses. At PMQs the SNP’s Pete Wishart asked:

Last week the Electoral Commission issued its largest-ever fine on the Conservative party for breaking vital and crucial election rules. What did the prime minister, the cabinet, her aides, know about any of this activity? Who was responsible for designing and signing off all of this? Do you agree with me that this is at best woeful negligence, and at worst pure electoral fraud?

May replied:

You are asking me to respond to what is a party matter, but I can assure you that the Conservative party did campaign in 2015 across the country for the return of a Conservative government, and we should be clear that such campaigning will be part of the party’s national return, not candidates’ local return, as the Electoral Commission itself has said.

The party accepted in April 2016 it had made an administrative error on its national spending, it brought that to the attention of the Electoral Commission in order to amend its national return.

As I say, national electoral spending is a question for the national party, not for individual members.

The Electoral Commission has looked into these issues, as it has for issues for the Liberal Democrat party and the Labour party. It has issued fines to all three parties and those fines will be paid.

  • May has said that MPs will get a free vote on the proposals to decant from the House of Parliament to an alternative Westminster venue to allow multi-billion repair works to be carried out.
  • Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, has told MPs that an “evolving threat” led to his decision to impose the laptop cabin ban on flights from some countries. In response to an urgent question in the Commons, he said:

We respond in aviation security to the evolving threat that we face from terrorists. And there are some things that we make public and others that we don’t. I’m not going to give [MPs] full details of the background to the decision we have taken. It is a response to an evolving threat ... Suffice to say to the House, we have taken the steps that we have taken for good reason.

  • Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, renewed is call for a referendum on the final Brexit deal, saying David Davis, the Brexit secretary, backed the idea until quite recently. Proposing a 10-minute rule bill on this, Farron told MPs:

The secretary of state for Exiting the European Union not long ago made the case very eloquently for what is now the Liberal Democrat proposal. He used the phrases: ‘mandate referendum’, and ‘decision referendum’ ...

I couldn’t agree with the secretary of state more. It is a shame that the secretary of state doesn’t agree with himself anymore.

Farron was referring to this speech Davis gave in 2012.

The SNP’s Alan Brown says the announcement implies the government does not trust the security arrangements at airports in the countries affected.

Grayling says he does not want this to be seen as a vote of no confidence in security arrangements in these countries.

Tom Pursglove, a Conservative, asks what consultation there was with airlines before this was announced.

Grayling says the government has been in regular contact with them over recent days.

Grayling says he is not saying to people that they should not travel to the countries affected.

Grayling says he hopes these measures will ultimately prove to be temporary. But decisions will be taken on the basis of passenger safety.

Labour’s Lilian Greenwood asks what discussions Grayling has had with his counterparts in other countries about the rules for transfer passengers.

Grayling says the government has been in contract with other countries. They will take their own decisions.

In the huddle for journalists after PMQs, Downing Street sources doubled down on May’s personal remarks about where Jeremy Corbyn and other members of the shadow cabinet sent their children to school: and indeed where the Labour leader himself was educated.

“She was clearly making the point that there seems to be one rule for the people mentioned, and another rule for the rest of us,” the source said, adding that, “consistency” was important in politics.

Some of the Tory critics of the government’s grammar schools, including Stroud MP Neil Carmichael, have admitted sending their own children to grammars.

Labour’s Derek Twigg asks if Grayling is confident that a terrorist would not be able to get a laptop with a bomb onto a plane leaving a UK airport.

Grayling says he thinks security at UK airports as high as anywhere in the world. He says the government is happy with the rules currently in place, but keeps them under review.

The SNPs’ transport spokesman, Drew Hendry, asks what extra resources will be made to UK airports to help them deal with this.

Grayling says these rules do not apply to UK airports. But the government has asked them to “think ahead” in case that changes.

Sir Desmond Swayne, a Conservative, asks why laptops etc are safer in the hold.

Grayling says he cannot discuss this.

Richard Burden, the shadow transport minister, asks if there is a risk posed by the countries affected.

And why are the US rules different?

What is being done to ensure passengers get the right information?

He says there are “too many loose ends” in this announcement.

He says Grayling should give more information about why this decision has been taken.

Grayling says Labour was in power for 13 years. It knows that there are some things that cannot be said in public.

There is an evolving threat to aircraft, he says.

This is not about singling out countries. It is about protecting UK citizens.

He says the rules will apply to transfer passengers.

Grayling is responding to Shuker.

He says the government responds to evolving threats. He says he will not discuss details. But he says the government has taken this step “for good reasons”.

He says the UK has decided what is best for the UK.

He says it is for the airlines to resolve what happens to people on handluggage-only tickets.

He will be writing to insurers to ask them to be mindful of the theft issue.

This decision has been taken to protect passengers, he says. But the government cannot put all its reasons in the public domain.

Labour’s Gavin Shuker says this is a major change.

Can Grayling explain why the US and UK bans are different?

He says the Washington Post says the US were discussing changes for a fortnight. When did Grayling first lean of the US plans?

Will Grayling harmonise the changes? That would make life easier for passengers, he says.

What happens to people who travel on a handluggage-only ticket?

What will the government do to stop items being stolen?

What evidence is there that placing problematic items in the hold will be safer? Some batteries have been banned from holds because they are a risk.

Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, is responding to the urgent question.

He says the government will always take steps to protect the travelling public.

He outlines the countries involved.

Partners in the region have had the decision explained to them, he says.

The US made a similar announcement. The UK has been in close contact with them, he says.

He says passengers boarding flights to the UK from the countries affected will not be able to take into the cabin a phone, tablet or laptop above a certain size.

Urgent question on laptop flight ban

The Labour MP Gavin Shuker is now asking an urgent question on the cabin ban on laptops and tablets on inbound flights from six countries announced yesterday.

Here is our story about this.

And here is the written statement from Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, making the announcement.

Labour’s Jack Dromey says 96% of schools in Birmingham will lose £20m under the new schools funding formula. But places like Windsor and Maidenhead will gain. How can this be fair?

May says the current system is unfair. Some schools in London get twice as much as schools in other parts of the country.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the Conservative, asks about the Jo Cox commission on loneliness and asks if May will meet women working on this.

May says they are doing very good work.

Labour’s Julie Cooper says shocking pay rises have been given to Liverpool CCG. Will the government investigate failures in Liverpool CCG.

May says NHS England is investigating this.

Plaid Cymru’s Jonathan Edwards says in triggering article 50 next week May is the modern day equivalent of Lord Cardigan at the Charge of the Light Brigade.

May says in triggering article 50 she is responding to the will of the British people.

Snap PMQs verdict

Some of Corbyn’s best PMQs have been on education, and on May’s plans to extend grammar schools, and this was one of his best outings for weeks, although he was probably at his most effective in the first half of the exchange, when he was focusing on school funding, not selection. He put the figures about cuts well, and, for the first time in ages, resorted to the ‘here’s a question from a voter’ tactic (once his hallmark), which today worked effectively. May was bland and unconvincing on the general funding point, although she was right to say that the school funding formula was an issue that governments have dodged for too long. She seemed much more animated defending grammars, the domestic policy initiative to which she seems most personally committed, but Corbyn held his ground well, helped by being able to quote Tories opposed to this. You could tell May was under pressure because resorted to the personal, attacking Corbyn for a decision about this son’s education (which reportedly helped to break up his second marriage - he did not support his wife’s desire to send their son to a grammar), but if you are going to go personal, you probably have to be ruthless to make it decisive, and May did not press her point, with the result that Corbyn was not thrown off his stride. So it was an effective performance by him, if not a decisive win.

Robertson focused on two well-rehearsed SNP complaints: May’s failure to reach an agreement with Scotland on Brexit, and her refusal to commit to offering Scotland an independence referendum. Both are relatively easy hits, although, in her second answer, May was able to come back with a particularly well-honed soundbite about how she is honouring the results of the UK’s last two referendums, while the SNP is doing neither.

(Regular readers will notice that the snap verdict now includes Angus Robertson. We’ve decided to experiment with featuring him here, along with Jeremy Corbyn, because “indyref2” is now firmly on the agenda. Let us know what you think.)

UPDATE: I’ve corrected the paragraph above. It was Corbyn’s second marriage that reportedly broke up partly because of the grammar school decision, not his first marriage.

Updated

The SNP’s Angus Robertson also offers condolences to the family and friends of Martin McGuinness.

He says May said she would secure a UK-wide agreement before triggering article 50 on Brexit. Since then May has blocked, been intransigent and lectured. There is no agreement. Will these be May’s tactics with the EU?

May says she has made every effort to take into account the views of the devolved administrations. She wants the best possible deal for the people of Scotland. At heart we are one people.

Robertson says May has admitted that she has reached no agreement. She wants the people to know the outcome of the Brexit deal before Scotland votes on independence. If the Commons, the Lords, the European parliament and EU parliaments can get a choice on Scotland’s future after the deal is concluded, why shouldn’t the Scottish people get a choice too?

May says the people of Scotland voted to stay in the UK. The people of the UK voted to leave the EU. She is respecting both of those votes. Robertson is respecting neither.

Corbyn says the former education secretary criticised grammar schools. Was he wrong?

May says in grammar schools the attainment gap does not apply.

Corbyn says the chair of the education committee has criticised grammar schools too. This is a vanity project. It will only benefit a few children. Is May happy to see this generation see its life chances decline.

May says the government has protected school funding. There are more teachers with first class degrees. It is not a vanity project to want better schools. There is a difference between her and Corbyn. Corbyn recorded a video this week urging people to think of his movement first. That is the difference. Labour put the party first; she puts the country first.

Corbyn says May was elected on a manifesto of no school cuts. But that is what is happening. He itemises things that are being cut. And he reads a letter from Eileen, a teacher, saying teachers are having to pay for pens and other items themselves. This is disgraceful. Does May agree?

May says budgets and the pupil premium have been protected. She says what matters is the quality of education. That is what this government is about. She wants people to get on on the basis of merit, not privilege. That is what she is delivering. Labour has opposed every policy that has improved education.

Corbyn says May should speak to the Tory MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown who said all his schools would have a cut under this budget. But May found £320m for divisive grammar schools. What kind of priority is that?

May says the new funding formula addresses a problem Labour ignored. MPs have been saying this for years. She said it 15 years ago when she was shadow education secretary. The government has proposed a new approach. She says the government has put money into offering diversity. She says Diane Abbott and Shami Chakrabarti sent their children to private schools. Corbyn sent his son to a grammar. He went to a grammar too. But now he wants to pull up the ladder.

Jeremy Corbyn starts by echoing what May said about Martin McGuinness. He played an immeasurable role in bringing about peace in Northern Ireland, he says.

He says the schools budget will be cut by 6.5% by 2020. And the new school funding formula will lead to some schools facing further cuts. Why is cutting tax for business more important?

May says the government has plans to improve schools. The schools budget has been protected. The national funding formula is a consultation.

Corbyn says the Tory manifesto said the amount of money following your child into school will be protected. No wonder even the Evening Standard editor is concerned. Is May advocating larger class sizes, a shorter school day or fewer teachers?

May says there are more good teachers, and more outstanding schools. She believes in diversity in education; Corbyn believes in a one-size-fits-all model.

Lucy Allan, a Conservative, asks if May will tell us how Telford will prosper from Brexit.

May says the referendum was a vote not just to leave the EU, but to change the way the country works. That is why her plan for Britain sets out ideas to make a stronger Britain. It will deliver a more united country.

Labour’s John Mann says hospital units in Bassetlaw have been closed or cut back. He is offering to work with the PM to solve this. Will she work with him?

May says the Bassetlaw clinical commissioning group is getting more funding. Mann talks about listening to local people. That is what sustainability and transformation plans are about.

Theresa May says she would like to express her condolences to the family and colleagues of Martin McGuinness. She will not condone what he did in his early life but he played an indispensable role in taking the republican movement away from violence.

This is from the Birmingham Post’s Jonathan Walker.

Updated

This is from the SNP’s Pete Wishart.

PMQs

PMQs starts in about 10 minutes.

Here is the list of MPs down to ask a question.

There will be an urgent question after PMQs about the new restrictions on taking laptops into the cabin on some flights.

YouGov has published its latest opinion poll. It suggests the Tories have a 16-point lead over Labour.

YouGov poll.
YouGov poll. Photograph: YouGov

And it suggests Theresa May (47%) has a 33-point lead over Jeremy Corbyn (14%) on who would make the best prime minister, although May is not that far ahead of the don’t knows (39%).

Teachers have voted to merge two unions to form a new super union for education workers, the Press Association reports. Members of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers backed the link up by more than 2-1.

The National Education Union will be formed later in the year, representing 450,000 teachers and other education workers. It will be the biggest union in Europe for teachers and education professionals and the fourth biggest union in the UK.

Given that Ken Livingstone has a theory on how Jeremy Corbyn can improve relations with the parliamentary Labour party (see 10.05am), perhaps he should apply for a new job that has been advertised on the w4mp website - Labour party “political liaison officer”.

The successful candidate will have to “help support and develop the relationship” between, among others, Corbyn and Labour MPs.

For a sense of how difficult a task this could be, do read Paul Waugh’s account of Monday’s extraordinary PLP meeting for Huffington Post.

The person appointed will get a salary of £40,000. And they will be on a fixed-term contract “for the period only that Corbyn is the leader of the Labour party”.

If you’re still interested, you can find out more, including application details, here. And if you do get the job, good luck. You may need it.

According to a story by Francis Elliott and Sam Coates in the Times (paywall), the plans for a new post-Brexit immigration law being drawn up by the government would involve penalties for employers and landlords who take on people without permission to live and work in the UK.

Here’s an extract.

Businesses have been reassured that they will not face a “cliff edge”, with any changes brought in gradually and allowances made for low-skilled migration such as seasonal agricultural work.

The leading options include work permits and a five-year working visa with strict curbs on benefit entitlements. Ministers privately admit, however, that businesses and private landlords will be made to shoulder much of the burden of policing the system, whatever is eventually introduced.

“We will be making landlords and employers do a lot of the heavy lifting on the enforcement. That’s the direction of travel,” a senior minister involved in drawing up the system said.

Landlords already face a maximum five year jail term for knowingly letting to illegals under the legislation that came into effect last year. That could increase as part of efforts to make them shoulder the burden of a new migration system.

The Labour MP Wes Streeting has responded to Ken Livingstone, PoliticsHome’s Kevin Schofield reports.

Livingstone urges Corbyn to suspend around 12 disloyal MPs

Ken Livingstone, the former Labour mayor of London and veteran leftwinger, has been speaking to Radio 5 Live’s Emma Barnett this morning. There were two news lines.

  • Livingstone urged Jeremy Corbyn to suspend around a dozen Labour MPs most critical of his leadership. He said:

Those that have been most over the top I think should be suspended. I think the other thing that Jeremy should do is re-introduce automatic re-selection. It’s really ridiculous that MPs in safe seats have a job for life ...

I’m particularly talking about Chuka Umunna, Wes Streeting - basically it’s the same group of MPs who were screaming that I’d said Hitler was a Zionist and I was anti-semitic. The moment that issue went on hold, they were then blaming Jeremy for Britain voting to leave. Just endless criticism. It’s only about a dozen of them.

The simple fact is they are consciously undermining Jeremy and damaging the Labour party.

I’m afraid we’ll have to be off to a judicial review in the courts and in the court the issue will be, what was actually said and what is the truth, and the Labour party has got no chance of winning a judicial review.

I’m basically retired. I’m not seeking office. I haven’t asked Jeremy or didn’t ask Ed Miliband to send me to the House of Lords or anything like that. I’m a house husband, but I’m not having my political career defined at the end that I’m anti-semitic.

Ken Livingstone.
Ken Livingstone. Photograph: Roger Askew/REX/Shutterstock

This is what the government has said in response to the Lords committee report warning that leaving the EU without a trade deal would cause “significant damage” to the services sector. (See 9.11am.) A spokesman said:

The prime minister has been clear that we will pursue a bold and ambitious free trade agreement with the European Union as a priority - it should allow for the freest possible trade in services, as well as goods, between Britain and the EU.

On top of that, we believe a phased process of implementation will be in our mutual self interest - allowing UK and EU institutions, member states and businesses to prepare for the new arrangements. The nature of any interim arrangements will be a matter for negotiation.

Boris Johnson, the foreign secretary, is in Washington today for the conference about countering Islamic State (Isis). He is due to be meeting senior US officials including secretary of state Rex Tillerson, and as he arrived last night he tweeted a picture of himself with the US national security adviser, HR McMaster.

Peers say Brexit with no trade deal would cause 'significant damage' to service sector

The Tory MP Julian Knight won’t be happy. He organised the letter signed by 76 mostly pro-leave MP complaining about the BBC giving too much prominence to reports conveying a negative impression of Brexit. Thankfully the duty Today editor isn’t taking much notice because this morning the programme gave a prominent slot to Lord Whitty, chair of the Lords EU internal market sub-committee, which has today published a report saying the businesses in the service sector would face “significant damage” if the UK left the EU without a trade deal. The government wants a trade deal but, as the Guardian reports, some cabinet ministers are saying they are relaxed about crashing out of the EU without a trade deal and instead having to rely on World Trade Organisations terms to trade with the EU.

This is what Whitty said in a statement explaining why this is so important.

The UK is the second largest exporter of services in the world and the EU receives 39% of the UK’s non-financial service exports. This trade is critical to the UK’s economy as it creates employment and supports goods exports - we can’t afford to lose that.

To protect the UK’s status as a global leader of trade in services, the government will need to secure the most comprehensive FTA that has ever been agreed with the EU. Walking away from negotiations without a deal would badly damage UK plc, particularly in sectors such as aviation and broadcasting which have no WTO rules to fall back on.

And here’s an extract from the report explaining this case in more detail.

Trade in services is inherently different from, and in many ways more complex than, trade in goods. Services are intangible and can be traded either online, in person, via a subsidiary business located in another territory or (increasingly) embedded within manufactured goods ...

Unlike trade in goods, trade in services is largely unaffected by tariffs, but instead can be restricted by non-tariff barriers. Such barriers may not only increase the cost of trade but can also prohibit trade altogether. For example, without the right qualifications or licence, some UK service providers may not be able to deliver a service abroad ...

A ‘no deal’ scenario, or a deal which gave no special consideration to UK trade in non-financial services, would risk significant damage to these sectors. For instance, WTO rules do not provide for trade with the EU in aviation or broadcasting services at all. Instead, UK firms would have to rely on outdated and restrictive agreements. While the UK’s global standing in services may mitigate some negative consequences, faced with a ‘no deal’ scenario, businesses could be forced either to re-structure or relocate in order to continue to operate in the way that they do today. Moreover, WTO rules would also not sufficiently facilitate the cross-border movement of persons that supports the UK’s trade in services with the EU, nor would they ensure the free flow of data. Rules on market access also differ between EU member states—increasing the regulatory complexity for UK firms.

We are likely to hear more about this this afternoon, when David Davis, the Brexit secretary, gives evidence to the Lords EU committee.

Here is the agenda for the day.

10am: Nick Hurd, the business minister, gives a speech on industrial strategy to the Localis thinktank.

10.30am: Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd, the lord chief justice, gives evidence to the Lords constitution committee.

12pm: Theresa May faces Jeremy Corbyn at PMQs.

12.30pm: Tim Farron, the Lib Dem leader, proposes a 10-minute rule bill calling for a referendum on the final Brexit deal.

Around 2.30pm: MSPs resume their debate on the SNP’s call for a second independence referendum. They will vote at 5.30pm.

4pm: David Davis, the Brexit secretary, gives evidence to the Lords EU committee.

As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to post a summary after PMQs and another in the afternoon.

You can read all today’s Guardian politics stories here.

If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.

I try to monitor the comments BTL but normally I find it impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer direct questions, although sometimes I miss them or don’t have time. Alternatively you could post a question to me on Twitter.

Updated

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
If You Find Joy In Learning Interesting And Fun Facts, Here Are 63 That Might Surprise You
This collection dives into some of the most interesting facts shared online, from surprising truths about animals to little-known details about the human body. Each one is quick, curious, and just intriguing enough to keep you scrolling.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Blake Lively sees most of her claims dismissed in a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni dismissed
After a federal judge ruled that only a narrowed portion of the case will proceed to trial, Blake Lively has seen most of her claims dismissed in a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Check Your Medicine Cabinet: 5 Cough Drops Recalled Over Safety Concerns
It’s easy to overlook the small items in your medicine cabinet, especially something as routine as cough drops. Most of us grab them without a second thought, trusting they’re safe and effective. However, recent recalls have raised concerns about certain products that may pose unexpected health risks. From contamination issues…
Budget and the Bees
Budget and the Bees
Louis CK to headline Hollywood Bowl for Netflix festival
Headlining set for Netflix Is a Joke festival marks first outing with major streamer since misconduct allegations in 2017
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
“Who the F are the Cockroaches?”: Just the greatest rock n’ roll band in the world… perhaps
The Stones have used the guise before, and could be doing so again?
MusicRadar
MusicRadar
“Screams Disappointment”: Mom’s M&M Washing Hack Sparks Debate After Daughter’s Reaction Goes Viral
“What is the purpose here? If it's unhealthy, it's completely unhealthy,” one comment read.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play