** The community is invited to attend a peaceful vigil this evening, at 6pm, outside the Atkinson on Lord Street **
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has laid a wreath of the site of yesterday’s attack at Hart Street, but was heckled by a small section of the gathered crowd.
Following a visit from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper this morning, the Prime Minister made a short visit to the scene after receiving local police briefings and meeting a number of first responders.
In an interview with national media, the Prime Minister thanked the emergency services.
“I came here to pay my respects to the victims and families who are going through more pain and grief than most of us can imagine. But also, importantly, to have the opportunity to say to those that were responding yesterday from the emrgency services, to say a personal thank you to them and to shake their hand and to say that as Prime Minister, on behalf of the country we are grateful for what they did.”
With an undeniable sense of tension in the air, amid a media scrum the crowd of several hundred people silenced as the Prime Minister was escorted along the pavement on Tithebarn Road to the corner of Hart Street.
A section of the gathered crowd berated Mr Starmer with cries of “any photo opportunity” and “how many more children?” The Prime Minister was whisked away by security officials shortly after.
In contrast, an emotional scene played out moments later as staff from the North West Ambulance Service walked hand in hand to lay further floral tributes, with a call to “give them a clap” accepted by the crowd.
The NWAS representatives looked visibly shaken, tearful, and supported by friends and family – with one telling an onlooking wellwisher, “it was the worst job I’ve ever done”.