Palace of Westminster, 10:30am
Home Secretary, Kenneth Baker, is just walking out of the Houses of Parliament, with Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Mellor, alongside him, after attending Oral Questions earlier that morning. He receives an urgent phone call, urging him to travel to Smith Square immediately. He immediately sets off in a car with Mellor, hearing of the Downing Street explosion over the radio.
*****
BBC News, 10:40am
Lewis: We have received word that there are potential fatalities at 10 Downing Street, following the mortar attack earlier this morning. Several casualties, including the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, have been taken to St. Thomas’ Hospital, where it is believed that they are in critical condition. Our political correspondent, John Cole, is outside St. Thomas’ this morning. John, what more can you tell us?
Cole: Well, Martyn, the prognosis here is that no one’s really sure what’s going on. About five minutes ago, the first ambulances from Downing Street started arriving, although no one’s really sure who’s in them, and we’ve heard no official comment from the government on potential injuries just yet-
Lewis: I’m sorry, John, I’ll have to interrupt you there. The news from Scotland Yard is that Sir Peter Imbert, the Chief Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, is about to speak now, on the events of this morning. We’ll take you over there in just a second.
*****
Scotland Yard, 10:45am
Imbert: At 10:08am this morning, three explosions were heard on the junction of Whitehall and Horse Guards Avenue. All three of these explosions reached the grounds of 10 Downing Street, with two landing in its back garden. However, the third explosion was a direct hit on the building itself, causing a minor collapse in a room where the Prime Minister and colleagues were meeting. Emergency services arrived on the scene at around 10:13am, where two people were announced dead at the scene, seven were taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and four were treated at the scene with non-life-threatening injuries. Since then, another person has died, and another is in what could be considered a critical but stable condition. We will consider to issue updates on today’s events as we receive them.
*****
Smith Square, 10:50am
Baker and Mellor arrive at Tory HQ and are greeted by Party Chairman, Chris Patten, who has a solemn look on his face. Baker asks him how bad it is.
Patten’s response is short but frank. “Douglas is dead.”
Mellor asks about the Prime Minister: “Your guess is as good as mine. All I can say is that it doesn’t look good at all. You’re going to have to speak to the families, Kenneth. With Norman, Douglas and John out of the equation, you’re the most senior cabinet member present.”
Baker sighs, and begins preparing a statement of sorts.