The Prime Minister gave her first statement after a man armed with a knife killed three people outside Westminster.

Theresa May delivered her speech outside Downing Street earlier tonight and declared any attempt to defeat British values would be ‘doomed to failure’.

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The Prime Minister spoke only a few hundred metres away from where a police officer and two members of the public were killed earlier this afternoon.

She said: “"I have just chaired a meeting of the Government's emergency committee, Cobra, following the sick and depraved terrorist attack on the streets of our capital this afternoon.

"The full details of exactly what happened are still emerging, but having been updated by police and security officials I can confirm that this appalling incident began when a single attacker drove his vehicle into pedestrians walking across Westminster Bridge, killing two people and injuring many more, including three police officers.

"This attacker, who was armed with a knife, then ran towards Parliament where he was confronted by the police officers who keep us and our democratic institutions safe.

"Tragically one officer was killed. The terrorist was also shot dead.”

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Theresa May outside Downing Street

She added: "The location of this attack was no accident. The terrorists chose to strike at the heart of our capital city, where people of all nationalities, religions and cultures come together to celebrate the values of liberty, democracy and freedom of speech.

"These streets of Westminster, home to the world's oldest Parliament, are ingrained with a spirit of freedom that echoes in some of the furthest corners of the globe. And the values our Parliament represents - democracy, freedom, human rights, the rule of law - command the admiration and respect of free people everywhere.

"That is why it is a target for those who reject those values.

"But let me make it clear today, as I have had cause to do before: any attempt to defeat those values through violence and terror is doomed to failure.

"Tomorrow morning, Parliament will meet as normal. We will come together as normal.

"And Londoners - and others from around the world who have come here to visit this great city - will get up and go about their day as normal.

"They will board their trains, they will leave their hotels, they will walk these streets, they will live their lives.

"And we will all move forward together, never giving in to terror and never allowing the voices of hate and evil to drive us apart."

The Prime Minister said the country’s threat level would not change its threat level from severe.