BBCLabour MP Mary Creagh has revealed how she ran into Westminster Tube Station to prevent children and tourists walking into today’s terror attack.
The representative for Wakefield exited parliament after hearing reports of gunfire.
Rather than immediately seeking cover Creagh headed for the tube where she ordered the controller to close the station.
Footage shows the House of Commons in lockdown after gunshots heard outside in Westminster pic.twitter.com/HGvrzwmTu2
— Press Association (@PA) March 22, 2017
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.
Westminster terror attack: Timeline of events pic.twitter.com/nurUWoBOTz
— Press Association (@PA) March 22, 2017
Creagh added:
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’.
#Breaking Both House of Commons and House of Lords will sit at normal times on Thursday, parliamentary authorities say
— Press Association (@PA) March 22, 2017
Our thoughts are with those affected and their families at this difficult time.