Theresa May leads condemnation of 'cowardly' Manchester attack

Leaders of all the main political parties have spoken of their horror at the attack on Manchester Arena and praised the work of the emergency services after the decision to suspend national political campaigning until at least Thursday.

Speaking outside Downing Street just over 12 hours after a presumed suicide bomber killed at least 22 people and injured 59 more at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, Theresa May condemned the “sickening cowardice” of the attack. She said those connected to the actions of the attacker, since identified as 22-year-old Salman Abedi, would be brought to justice.

“All acts of terrorism are cowardly attacks on innocent people, but this attack stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice, deliberately targeting innocent, defenceless children and young people who should have been enjoying one of the most memorable nights of their lives,” the prime minister said.

May, who later travelled to Manchester to see police with the home secretary, Amber Rudd, said the city had “fallen victim to a callous terror attack, which targeted some of the youngest people in our society with cold calculation”.

She added: “We struggle to comprehend the warped and twisted mind that sees a room packed with young children not as a scene to cherish but an opportunity for carnage.”

Soon after details began to emerge of the attack, the main political parties agreed to suspend general election campaigning until at least after Wednesday. A Labour spokesman said: “The Labour party’s general election campaign remains suspended until further notice. Events planned for tomorrow have been cancelled.”

The prime minister is due in Brussels on Thursday for a summit of Nato leaders, before travelling to Sicily for a G7 summit with world leaders, including the US president, Donald Trump.

Before making her statement, May led a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee, which was joined via videolink by Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester.

In her statement, May praised the emergency services and those who had rushed to help, saying those “are the images that embody the spirit of Manchester and the spirit of Britain”.

Her sentiments were echoed by other parties, and members of the Scottish and Welsh assemblies, which are sitting, observed a minute’s silence in tribute to the victims and bereaved.

Jeremy Corbyn, who was due to campaign in the West Midlands, said he was “horrified by the horrendous events in Manchester”.

“My thoughts are with families and friends of those who have died and been injured. Today the whole country will grieve for the people who have lost their lives.

“I would like to pay tribute to the emergency services for their bravery and professionalism in dealing with last night’s appalling events.”

The Scottish National party was due to unveil its election manifesto on Tuesday but postponed the event. The SNP leader and Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who expressed her condolences to the victims of the attack, will instead chair a meeting of the devolved government’s resilience committee.

The Liberal Democrat leader, Tim Farron, cancelled a planned campaign visit to Gibraltar, where he was to speak about Brexit and meet overseas voters.

Farron said friends of his children had been at the concert in Manchester. While terrorist attacks had happened in the UK before, this was “of a different order”.

“This a terrorist attack deliberately targeted at children having the time of their lives,” he said. “It was cowardly, it was deliberate, it is beyond wicked. And that is why it is right that we should determine justice should be done, and we continue to stand up to those who wish to harm our society, to take away life, and to take away our liberty.”

Paul Nuttall, the leader of Ukip and an MEP for north-west England, said: “Just woken to the terrible news in the heart of my constituency, Manchester. My prayers and thoughts are with those affected. Stay strong.”

Nuttall had been due to be interviewed on BBC1 on Tuesday evening by Andrew Neil as part of a week-long series involving party leaders. However, these have now been delayed.

The Green party confirmed it was suspending all election activities, including the planned manifesto launch by the Welsh Greens. The co-leader Jonathan Bartley said: “For young people to be targeted in this way is utterly atrocious. As ever, our emergency services have done us proud – and we pay tribute to the police, firefighters and paramedics who stepped up in this time of need. Our country will never be divided by terror.”

Arlene Foster, the leader of the Democratic Unionist party, said all its candidates would suspend election activities in the light of the attack, adding: “Terrorism must never win.”

The Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood, joined the other parties in halting campaigning.

“The thoughts and sympathies of all of us in Plaid Cymru go out to all the people affected by last night’s horrific events in Manchester,” she said. “We will be suspending our campaigning today as a mark of respect to all of the families.”

The Queen expressed her “deepest sympathy” to all those affected, saying: “The whole nation has been shocked by the death and injury.”

World leaders also lined up to state their solidarity with the UK, including Trump, who described the perpetrators as “evil losers” and said they must be “obliterated”.