Tension: See What Happened Inside UK Parliament During Yesterday’s Attack (Video)
David Lidington, leader of the House of Commons, then told MPs: “Colleagues will have appreciated that events have been moving rapidly.
“I want to emphasise that the knowledge 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 currently attending the scene to remove the casualties.
“There are also reports of further violent incidents in the vicinity of the Palace of Westminster.
“But I hope colleagues on all sides will appreciate it would be wrong of me here to go into further details until we have confirmation from the police and the House security authorities of what is going on.
“At the moment the very clear advice from the police and director of security in the House is that we should remain under suspension and that the chamber should remain in lockdown until we receive advice that it is safe to go back to normal procedures.”
Shadow Commons leader Valerie Vaz said: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the police officer.”
Scores of MPs are still locked inside the House of Commons chamber despite the Commons now having adjourned for the day.
Commons leader David Lidington told MPs at 3.20pm: “It is clear the advice from the police and director of security is still that the chamber should remain in lockdown.
“As most colleagues will realise a number of [MPs] are also in other parts of the estate or off the estate and for obvious reasons are unable to be present for business.
“There have been conversations through the usual channels. I hope the House would agree that in the current circumstances it would not be right to continue with today’s business.”
Deputy speaker Lindsay Hoyle told MPs: “We can’t go anywhere for the moment so please, let’s just see if we can make the best of this horrible situation.”
“They (security detail) were professional but it was obvious from their demeanour that this was not a drill and something serious had happened.
“I’ve never seen the prime minister moved away by the biggest plain-clothed police officer I’ve ever seen. He put his arm around her and took her very quickly away.
“She was taken to her care and automatic weapons produced by the security detail and she was moved away very quickly.”
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