Westminster attack - latest updates

The Muslim Council of Britain has issued a statement on the attack, which has not yet been claimed by any group.

PA

Hundreds of people were evacuated from Parliament to Westminster Abbey, the Press Association reports. 

Addressing the crowd, which included ministers, MPs, peers and tourists, from the pulpit a Met Police superintendent said it would take around 90 minutes to process everyone. 

Police said people would be assessed to see if they have any information. A prayer was then said for the victims of the attack. 

BBC

Labour MP Mary Creagh arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.

She told the BBC: "When we were on our way to vote there were armed police officers standing at the escalator.

"As I got off the escalator I saw people running towards me. Penny Mordaunt [another MP] ran up and said 'shots have been fired, we need to get out now'.

"We had no choice but to go out of the revolving doors one at a time - I shouted to the security guard 'you've got to open the doors' and he then opened them. 

"I found myself in Westminster Tube station, I thought the one thing we don't want is tourists wandering in with their children into this situation.

"I went into the control room and told the controller 'there's been what we think is a terror attack on the Palace of Westminster and I said 'you need to shut the station now'."

AP

A man suspected of fatally stabbing a police officer at the Palace of Westminster is treated by emergency workers after he was shot by armed police.

A knife can be seen lying on the cobbles nearby.

The US Department of Homeland Security has issued a statement condemning Wednesday's attack. 

The Department of Homeland Security stands in solidarity alongside our friends in the United Kingdom in condemning the terrible attack at Parliament today. With our partners in federal law enforcement, we are in close contact with our British counterparts to monitor the tragic events and to support the ongoing investigation."

PA

Holyrood's Presiding Officer the Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP said:

"Members of all parties represented in this Parliament will want to join me in expressing our heartfelt sympathy for all those affected by the tragic events at Westminster. 

"As the true seriousness of the incident emerged, and as an expression of our support for our sister Parliament, parliamentary business at Holyrood was suspended this afternoon for the remainder of the day. 

"No matter how significant our debate might be, to have continued further would not have been appropriate. 

"It was increasingly apparent from the chair as reports emerged that the thoughts and concerns of members lay elsewhere. 

"While there is no intelligence to suggest a specific threat to Scotland, Edinburgh or Holyrood, security at the Scottish Parliament has been heightened with immediate effect as a precautionary measure. 

"Parliamentary business will proceed tomorrow and I will be convening a meeting of Business Managers first thing in the morning to consider the rescheduling of this afternoon’s debate. I am grateful to all of our security staff, and the parliament’s police unit for their assistance today."

BBC Newsnight presenter Evan Davis was at the scene of the incident. Here's one of the photos he took.

BBC

PA

An extremely serious incident has occurred in the Westminster area this afternoon. The Metropolitan Police is dealing with this and an investigation is underway. 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 that express our gratitude to the police and all emergency services.”

The French newspaper  Le Telegramme is now reporting that three pupils from the Concarneau high school in Brittany are thought to be among those wounded in the incident.  

It says the trio, aged between 15 and 16, were walking down Westminster Bridge when a car knocked them down.   

One of them ended up on the car bonnet, according to the other young people, the newspaper reports. 

Getty Images

Another briefing from the Metropolitan Police will be held in the next 10 minutes, the BBC understands.

Associated Press

Government sources have told BBC London there is no indication at the moment that the terror threat level in the UK will be raised. 

It has been been at severe - meaning an attack is "highly likely" since August 2014.

The next level up is critical - the highest - and means an attack is "imminent". 

The French prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve has just confirmed that French students are among those injured in Wednesday's incident. 

PA

Just to return to the police statement thirty or so minutes ago.

People were requested to avoid the following areas on their journeys home: Parliament Square, Whitehall, Westminster Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Victoria Street up to the junction with Broadway and Victoria Embankment up to Embankment Tube station.

The BBC's Daniel Sandford says there may have been two assailants involved in the attack on Parliament.

He says eye-witness reports have referred to a "bald white man" and a "black man with goatee beard" in association with the incident.

It is possible, although he stresses this is not confirmed, that both may have been in the car when it was driven at "high speed" down Westminster Bridge - knocking down an estimated eight people.

The car, Daniel Sandford adds, crashed into the parliamentary railings soon after. 

A woman is being treated for injuries after being pulled out of the River Thames near Westminster Bridge.

The London Ambulance Service says it has treated at least 10 people on Westminster Bridge following the incident.

A number of people are reporting that Foreign Office minister Tobias Ellwood was directly caught up in the incident inside Parliament. 

It is being reported that he came to the aid of the police officer stabbed in the Palace of Westminster and attempted to give him medical treatment.

Once again, we must say that this has not been confirmed. 

This from the BBC's Eleanor Garnier, confirming what we have already seen in several pictures. 

About 500 people including MPs are being moved from Westminster Hall in the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey

We believe that they may then talk to the police to give witness statements. 

Here are some of the latest pictures from Westminster following this afternoon's incident which has left at least one woman dead.

EPA

Getty Images

Getty Images