UK terror threat raised to 'severe' following Poppy Day explosion in Liverpool

15 November 2021, 14:24 | Updated: 15 November 2021, 17:34

Priti Patel: Terror threat increased to 'severe'

The UK terror threat has been raised to 'severe' following an explosion in Liverpool on Remembrance Sunday.

The change means an attack is "highly likely" across the country moving forward.

It comes after a taxi was blown up outside Liverpool Women's Hospital - which has since been declared a terrorist incident by police.

The change was announced by Home Secretary Priti Patel, due to it being the second terror attack within the space of a month.

Speaking to broadcasters, she said: "The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, Jtac, are now increasing the United Kingdom's threat level from substantial to severe.

"And there's a reason for that, and that reason is because what we saw yesterday is the second incident in a month."

A controlled explosion was carried out by counter-terrorism police in Sefton Park on Monday evening, in connection with the explosion at Liverpool Women's Hospital.

There is believed to be no wider risk to the public and the investigation continues.

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Taxi explodes outside Liverpool Women's Hospital

Ms Patel added that the "context" of there being two terrorist incidents in the space of a month was "really important".

The previous attack saw MP David Amess stabbed to death during a constituency meeting in Leigh-on-Sea.

She told broadcasters she could not expand "for obvious reasons", but said: "I should just conclude my remarks by saying that our security and intelligence services prevent all sorts of acts, day in, day out.

"And of course, they understand the landscape, they see context, they see all sorts of things that keep our country safe and secure every single day and that work will continue."

Read more: Three arrested and cordons still in place after Liverpool hospital explosion

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a press conference that the incident was a "stark reminder of the need for us all to stay vigilant".

"What yesterday showed, above all, is that the British people will never be cowed by terrorism," he said. 

"Our freedoms and our way of life will always prevail."