The terrorism threat level in the UK has increased to severe, meaning an attack is 'highly likely.'
It comes after an attack in Liverpool on Sunday was declared a terrorist incident by counter terrorism police on Monday.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said the terror threat level had been raised because there had been two attacks in the space of a month.
Speaking to broadcasters, she said: “The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, Jtac, are now increasing the United Kingdom’s threat level from substantial to severe.
“And there’s a reason for that, and that reason is because what we saw yesterday is the second incident in a month.”
The Home Secretary said the attack had had a 'very significant impact across the community' in Liverpool and her thoughts were with people in the city.
“Alongside that, I want to give my personal thanks, and the thanks of the government, to our emergency services, the police in particular.
"I’ve been in touch with the chief constable, other emergency service workers as well, and our armed forces who’ve been part of the operational work that’s on the ground.
“Now, of course, that means we continue to work with our world-class security, intelligence and policing services.
“There’s a live investigation taking place right now.
"They will need the time, the space, to do the work that they are doing in terms of investigating the incident.
“But of course, we as a government, I as Home Secretary, continue to work with everyone when it comes to the security of our country and making sure that we’re taking all the necessary steps required.”
Priti Patel said the 'context' of there being two terrorist incidents in the space of a month was 'really important.'
She told broadcasters she could not expand 'for obvious reasons,' but added: “I should just conclude my remarks by saying that our security and intelligence services prevent all sorts of acts, day in, day out.
“And of course, they understand the landscape, they see context, they see all sorts of things that keep our country safe and secure every single day and that work will continue.”
Police say terrorist attack motivation 'unclear'
A suspected terrorist blew himself up with a homemade bomb in a taxi outside a the hospital on Remembrance Sunday while the driver, who managed to escape alive, has been branded a hero.
Police have declared the blast from the car as a terrorist attack but said the motive was unclear.
In the wake of the attack, the UK terror threat level was raised to severe, meaning an attack is highly likely, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson was set to host an emergency Cobra meeting on Monday afternoon in response to the incident.
Assistant Chief Constable Russ Jackson, from Counter-Terrorism Policing North West, said the man who died in the blast brought a homemade bomb with him into a taxi and asked to be taken to the hospital.
He was picked up in the Rutland Avenue area of the city and as the car reached the hospital’s passenger drop-off point, it exploded.
So far four men have been arrested under terrorism laws in the Kensington area of Liverpool – three aged 21, 26 and 29, who were held on Sunday, and a man aged 20, who was detained on Monday.
The driver of the cab, named locally as David Perry, was treated in hospital after fleeing the car just before it burst into flames, and has now been discharged.
He was praised by the Prime Minister for behaving with “incredible presence of mind and bravery”, and lauded for his “heroic efforts” by the mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson.
So far four men have been arrested under terrorism laws in the Kensington area of Liverpool – three aged 21, 26 and 29, who were held on Sunday, and a man aged 20, who was detained on Monday.
