Manchester attack 1) May announces terror threat is raised to “critical”
“Up to 5,000 soldiers will be deployed on the streets amid fears that the
Manchester suicide bomber had accomplices preparing further attacks, Theresa May has announced. For the first time in 10 years, the Prime Minister said the terror threat had been raised to the highest possible level, from
severe to critical, meaning an attack
is “expected imminently”. Investigators fear that the British-born bomber Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old of Libyan descent, was part of a wider network of Isil-inspired terrorists, including a bomb-maker, who may still be at large.” – Daily Telegraph
- She says “a further attack may be imminent” – Independent
- Upping of level linked to “gaps in police knowledge” – Daily Telegraph
- This is first time it’s been so high in a decade – Guardian
- And third time ever – FT
- UK is on “lockdown” – Daily Express
- Troops to guard “key sites” – The Times (£)
- And venues – Guardian
- This is “Operation Temperer” – Daily Telegraph
>Today:
- ToryDiary: Five thousand armed soldiers deployed on Britain’s streets as the terror threat level is raised to “critical”
- Video: WATCH: May – “I ask everybody to be vigilant, and support the police as they go about their important work.”
Manchester attack 2) Bomber named as Salman Abedi
“Anti-terrorism raids were continuing across south Manchester today as police hunted accomplices of Salman Abedi, the suicide bomber who killed 22 people and injured 59 at a concert in the city last night. In a fast-moving operation, a 23-year-old man was arrested in the Chorlton area by armed police and forensic teams were searching an address in nearby Fallowfield thought to be linked to the bomber. Another raid was taking place in the Whalley Range area. The identity of the bomber has been confirmed as 22-year-old Abedi.” – The Times (£)
- His name was leaked to press by Americans – The Times (£)
- He was known to security services – Guardian
- He was born in the UK – FT
- He’d recently “returned from Libya” – The Times (£)
- Teenager and eight-year-old named as first victims – The Times (£)
- Missing Scottish girl found alive – Herald
- More victims identified – Guardian
- Trolls spread fake news in wake of attack – The Times (£)
Manchester attack 3) Rudd says it’s “likely” bomber didn’t work alone
“The Home Secretary Amber Rudd says it “seems likely” the suspected Manchester bomber Salman Abedi was not working alone. It came as she confirmed the 22-year-old was known to spies the morning after the UK terror threat was raised to ‘critical’ amid fears another attack is imminent. She said: “It is somebody that they had known and I’m sure when this investigation concludes we’ll be able to find out more.”” – The Sun
- He “had help” – The Times (£)
- His brother has been arrested – Daily Mail
- House in Manchester raided – The Sun
- IS claims responsibility for attack – Daily Telegraph
Manchester attack 4) Finkelstein: Terrorism is not senseless
“Why would you do it? Why would you enter a building full of beautiful young people, full of life, having fun, doing you no harm, doing nobody any harm, and kill them? Why would you do it? Why would you drive along a road mowing down tourists or shoppers, blow up a shopping centre, murder athletes, stab an off-duty solider, kill a cartoonist, ram a plane into a building, destroy a nightclub and the people in it? Why? It’s hard to fathom what goes through the mind of the killers, especially when they die themselves.” – The Times (£)
- It’s not unimaginable. It’s “horribly easy to imagine” – Alison Pearson, Daily Telegraph (£)
- Don’t forget our “common humanity” – George Monbiot, Guardian
- How to respond is the real challenge – Brendan Cox, Daily Telegraph (£)
- Islamist extremism is the “single biggest threat we face” – Haras Rafiq, Daily Telegraph (£)
- We must “understand its root causes” – George Kassimeris, Independent
- Don’t forget the “connection” between terrorism and wars abroad – Patrick Cockburn, Independent
- “Prevent” needs “beefing up” – Andrew Roberts, Daily Telegraph (£)
- These killers will not win – Steven Woolfe, Daily Telegraph (£)
- The response of the young “has been extraordinary” – Alice Thomson, The Times (£)
- Our society is “sick” – Katie Hopkins, Daily Mail
- Hopkins is a “hate peddler” for her comments – Hugh Muir, Guardian
Editorials:
- Victory is “freedom from fear” – The Times (£)
- We should blame “liberal weakness” – Daily Mail
>Today:
- Mohammed Amin in Comment: As a Muslim, Briton and Mancunian, I believe that defeating ISIS requires us to stay united
- ToryDiary: These terrorists are fanatics – not just “losers”. Or simply “evil”. Until we grasp this, we won’t beat them.
Manchester 5) Election campaign remains suspended…
“All Britain’s main political parties have suspended election campaigning indefinitely following the attack, which Mrs May called “among the worst terrorist incidents we have ever experienced”. Polling day is on June 8. The attack comes two months after a terrorist incident at the Palace of Westminster in London in March, in which a 52-year-old man killed five people. In terms of fatalities, the Manchester attack is the worst in the UK since the 2005 London bombings. Mrs May said the police had received reports of an explosion at 10.33pm on Monday night.” – FT
- Ukip “tests” campaign truce – The Times (£)
- EDL rally stopped – Independent
- Morrissey criticised for saying “politicians are never the victims” – Guardian
- 250,000 young people registered to vote on last possible day – Independent
Comment:
- Stopping the campaigns is letting terrorists get to us – Andrew Lilico, Daily Telegraph
- The data suggests a “convincing Conservative win” – Matt Singh, FT
Manchester attack 6) …as May and other politicians comment on the bombing
“Writing in the city’s book of condolences, the Prime Minister hailed the “inspirational bravery” of the emergency services and the “unbreakable spirit” of Manchurians. She also used her message to reaffirm her position in the fight against terrorism, insisting that Britain will “prevail” and “terrorism will never win”. Her entire message read: “Here in this great city, a callous and cowardly act was met by the inspirational bravery of our emergency services and the unbreakable spirit of the people of Manchester. “As we remember those who died, their loved ones and those who were injured, we will celebrate those who helped, safe in the knowledge that terrorism never wins and our values, our country and our way of life will prevail.” – Daily Express
- She speaks of “sickening cowardice” – FT
- Burnham says “they’ll never beat us” – The Times (£)
- Trump calls perpetrators ‘losers’ – The Times (£)
- Farron describes attack as “beyond wicked” – Daily Telegraph
- Farage calls for “action” – Daily Express
- Parisian mayor urges Manchester to “stand firm” – Guardian
Comment:
- May found “the right words” – Patrick Kidd, The Times (£)
- She showed “civilised outrage” – Quentin Letts, Daily Mail
>Yesterday:
- Video: WATCH: Burnham – “We are grieving today, but we are strong”
- Video: WATCH: May’s full Manchester statement – “This attack stands out for its appalling, sickening cowardice”
Evans-Pritchard: EU elites seem unaware of “re-leavers”
“…Wolfgang Münchau argues in Eurointelligence that the EU has been caught off-guard at every stage of the saga. “We have argued for some time that the main risk to the entire Brexit process is a source of cognitive dissonance on the part of the EU, which has a long history of misjudging UK politics,” he said. The EU side never took Brexit seriously in the first place, and therefore gave nothing of substance in the final talks with David Cameron. This complacency is in striking contrast with the “devolution max” offers to Scotland before the referendum.” – Daily Telegraph (£)
More Europe
- Turkey blocks European Nato partnerships – Daily Telegraph
- No deal for Greece – Daily Express
- Macron presents labour reforms to unions – Daily Telegraph
>Today: William Norton in Comment: What would WTO mean? 3) William Norton: Designing a post-Brexit agricultural policy
Jeremy Warner: Conservative social care policy was an “attack on inherited wealth”
“The key mistake Theresa May and her inner circle made in their bungled social care reform – now in ragged retreat – was nothing to do with the attempt to ensure that citizens who can afford it are obliged to pay; as others have pointed out, this is a perfectly reasonable principle, underpinned by the quintessentially “conservative” purpose of promoting self reliance. Rather it was that the policy represented, at a very basic level, an attack on inherited wealth, and in particular the not exactly outrageous levels of it likely to be enjoyed by middle England as a result of the long boom in house prices.” – Daily Telegraph (£)
- May needs to “do more” – Gabby Hinsliff, Guardian
More Conservatives
- Party received “boost in donations” before election – Guardian
- And almost £400,000 from oil executives – Independent
Trump to meet the Pope in Rome today
“Donald Trump will meet Pope Francis for the first time on Wednesday, in an encounter that will take place at the Vatican. They may both be leaders of global stature, but their personalities could hardly be more different. While the meeting is likely to be cordial, it comes against a backdrop of tension and public disagreement on a range of issues. President Trump has threatened to pull the US out of the 2015 Paris accord on reducing greenhouse global gas emissions, and in March signed an executive order dismantling environmental regulations enacted under Barack Obama.” – Daily Telegraph
- He didn’t mention “Palestinian state” in Israel – Daily Telegraph
- He visited Bethlehem and the Western Wall – Independent
- Former CIA head gives account of “effort to combat” Russian intervention in US election – Guardian
Editorial:
- Could Trump bring about Middle East progress? – The Times (£)
Comment:
- Trump and the Pope are “diametrically opposed” on key issues – Catherine Pepinster, Guardian
News in Brief
- Roger Moore dies – The Times (£)
- Academic claims India more populous than China – Guardian
- South Korea shoots at “possible drone” – Independent
- WHO gains new leader amidst controversy – FT
- Elvis jet sold – Belfast News Letter