Keir Starmer has responded after four children were among about 50 people injured when a car ploughed into a crowd at the Liverpool Premier League victory parade on Monday
Keir Starmer says ‘whole country stands with Liverpool’ after parade incident
Keir Starmer has said the whole country “stands with Liverpool” after a car ploughed into crowds in the city yesterday evening.
The Prime Minister said “scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation” during Liverpool’s Premier League victory parade. Four children were among about 50 people injured during the celebrations on Monday.
Up to one million Liverpool fans had lined the streets to celebrate the team as they moved through the city centre with the Premier League trophy on an open-top bus. Merseyside Police are not treating the incident as terrorism after a 53-year-old man was arrested.
Speaking on Tuesday morning, Mr Starmer said the nation’s thoughts are with the victims and the wider community. He said: “Scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation, and my thoughts and the thoughts of the whole country are with all of those that are affected, those injured, which of course includes children, their families, their friends, the whole community, Liverpool fans everywhere.
“Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool. I’d like to thank the first responders who did a fantastic job last night and continue to do so. There’s now an ongoing investigation. I’m being kept updated, talking frequently to the mayor Steve Rotheram. But as I say, my thoughts and the thoughts of the whole country will be with everybody in Liverpool today.”
DWP minister Alison McGovern, who was at Liverpool’s Premier League victory parade, earlier said she is “devastated” that the “most wonderful and perfect day” ended with a car ploughing into a crowd.
In an emotional radio interview, the Labour MP for Birkenhead said she spent four hours with her family at the parade, where she was having a wonderful day of “joy and celebration”. She said she travelled to the city centre to get some food before she started to receive messages and “realised something so terrible had happened”.
The heartbroken MP said: “So many families were there actually, so many children enjoying just getting a glimpse of their heroes on that bus, and for this to happen, it’s just, it’s really heartbreaking.”
Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram saud people are still “very, very ill in hospital” after the incident. He said he was hopeful that those seriously injured “pull through very, very quickly”.
“The actual incident in Water Street will live with those people for all the wrong reasons, and that’s where we have to really focus our minds,” he said.
At a press conference late on Monday evening, Dave Kitchin from North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said 27 people were taken to hospital and 20 people were treated at the scene, with four children among the injured. He said two of those taken to hospital, including one of the children, suffered serious injuries.