MP Priti Patel today condemned the horrific terror attack at the heart of London and said the country "stands together" to show that it will not be defeated by terrorism.
Patel, the secretary of state for international development, paid tributes to the police officer stabbed to death by the lone attacker at the gates of the parliament building on Wednesday.
"The terrorist incident in Westminster was horrific and shocking. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and relatives of those who died and with the injured victims," Patel said.
"The events that unfolded are being thoroughly investigated and we all stand together to show that we will not be defeated by terrorism.
"I commend the police, emergency services and medical staff for the swift action and bravery they showed yesterday. They put themselves in harms way and in danger to help and protect people. I pay tribute to PC Keith Palmer for his courage and bravery. His family have my condolences and he will be in all of our thoughts and prayers," Patel added.
Shailesh Vara MP, a former justice minister, said in the House of Commons that Britain stands united against the "evil ideology" of the terrorists.
"The message that we need to take away is that this evil ideology is not only an attack on Western countries and the values that we hold so dear but it is an evil that seeks to destroy our way of life across the world," he said.
Labour MP Virendra Sharma described the attack as "despicable and cowardly" and called for "peace, unity and cooperation".
"Many men and women lie injured in hospital after this contemptible act, and two people are dead from the attack on Westminster Bridge. While the facts of what truly happened are still unfolding I would encourage everyone to carry on with their lives, as Londoners have done for centuries," he said.
"We must not jump to conclusions, we must not sink to the level of people who hate us, we must stand together as a community not apart and not scared, unbent and unbowed," Sharma added.
Women pray in a vigil at the International Siddhashram Shakti Centre in memory of those who have lost their lives in the Air India crash, in London, Britain. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes
Acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Tarique Rahman, poses for a portrait in a hotel in south-west London on December 30, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)