King and Prime Minister lead nation remembering horror of July 7 bombings
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer said 'those who tried to divide us failed' adding 'we stood together then, and we stand together now'.
On July 7 2005, four suicide bombers struck the capital's transport network, killing 52 people and injuring more than 770 on three London Underground trains and a bus.
The King has asked for the country to reaffirm its commitment to building a society of all faiths and backgrounds, standing against those who seek to divide us.
He said: 'Today, as we mark 20 years since the tragic events of 7th July 2005, my heartfelt thoughts and special prayers remain with all those whose lives were forever changed on that terrible summer's day.
'We remember with profound sadness the 52 innocent people who were killed in senseless acts of evil – and the enduring grief of their loved ones.
'We recall, too, the hundreds more who carry physical and psychological scars, and pray that their suffering may ease as the years pass.
'In doing so, we should also remember the countless stories of extraordinary courage and compassion that emerged from the darkness of that day.
'The selfless bravery of our emergency services, transport workers, and fellow citizens who rushed towards danger to help strangers reminds us of the very best of humanity in the face of the very worst.'
Other members of the royal family are to join services and memorials to mark the anniversary.
On behalf of the King, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will attend the National Service of Commemoration at St Paul's Cathedral from 11.30am on Monday.
The King also stressed the importance of communities coming together in times of adversity.
He said: 'While the horrors will never be forgotten, we may take comfort from the way such events rally communities together in solidarity, solace and determination.
'It is this spirit of unity that has helped London, and our nation, to heal.
'As we remember those we lost, let us therefore use this 20th anniversary to reaffirm our commitment to building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding, always standing firm against those who would seek to divide us.'
Sir Keir said: 'Today the whole country will unite to remember the lives lost in the 7/7 attacks, and all those whose lives were changed forever.
'We honour the courage shown that day— the bravery of the emergency services, the strength of survivors, and the unity of Londoners in the face of terror.
'Those who tried to divide us failed. We stood together then, and we stand together now— against hate and for the values that define us of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.'
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'Twenty years have passed since 7/7 but the passage of time makes what happened that day no less shocking. It was an appalling attack on our capital city and on democracy itself.
'As we come together to mark this anniversary, my thoughts remain with the victims, survivors and all who loved them. Amid the horror of that day, we saw the best of people, our emergency services, first responders and ordinary Londoners who bravely acted to help one another. Their courage continues to inspire us.
'We will always confront the threats facing this country to keep the public safe and preserve our way of life.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
What can we expect from this week's state visit by Emmanuel Macron?
Remarkably, given the geographical closeness and the coincidence of interest, when Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte visit Britain this week to be given the full state visit treatment, it will be the first such honour since President and Madame Sarkozy came in 2008. That such a long gap has grown is obviously due to some difficult years in the interim, caused by the run-up to, and fallout from, the Brexit referendum in 2016. It's fair to say neither country has fully recovered from the shock, but the old friendship is growing warmer… Are things warming up? Mais, oui. There have been obvious improvements that date back to Rishi Sunak's premiership. Although a Brexiteer, he sought to move away from the childish antagonism displayed by Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, his immediate predecessors. Ms Truss infamously refused to say whether Macron was a 'friend or foe', an extraordinary moment which punctured even the French president's considerable self-esteem. A row about the Aukus (Australia-UK-US) defence pact and the cancellation of an Australian order for a French submarine also soured things. King Charles was invited to Paris for his state visit, while the Windsor Framework on Northern Ireland's EU border, and the first Anglo-French summit in years, rescued relations to an extent, with Ukraine presenting an opportunity for unity of purpose. But there was more to do… What's going well? Plenty. Labour's arrival offered a further chance for what Keir Starmer called a 'reset' in relations with the EU, and France with it. This arrived in May in the shape of easier cross-border trade in food and livestock, further changes regarding Northern Ireland and some resolution of a long-running dispute over fishing rights. Ukraine continues to be a focus for cooperation, and even more so since the Trump administration downgraded Europe as a priority, put Nato on a more transactional relationship and, bluntly, switched sides on Ukraine, giving Vladimir Putin far more leeway. Starmer and Macron have emerged as joint leaders of the 'coalition of the willing' on resisting Russian aggression. They share a centrist outlook on the world, and as the two premier military powers on the continent, can, at least to some extent, make up for the loss of American commitment. What's going badly? Migration. This is proving even more intractable than Starmer assumed, and irregular migration is a constant source of domestic trouble for both leaders. The UK-France 'one in, one out' irregular migration deal also looks to be in trouble. Under this plan, the British could send back to France failed asylum seekers, in return for accepting those who have a proven, genuine claim. This is due to be front and centre during Wednesday's talks in No 10. However, some of France's EU partners on the migration 'front line' have objected to the European Commission because the deal makes it easier for other countries to return refugees to them. Malta, Cyprus, Italy, Spain and Greece have jointly stated: 'We take note – with a degree of surprise – of the reported intention of France to sign a bilateral readmission arrangement. If confirmed, such an initiative raises serious concerns for us, both procedurally and in terms of potential implications for other member states, particularly those of first entry'. Anything else? Trump. After a brief but ultimately futile bid by the president of the French Republic to become a 'Trump whisperer', there's now a slight tension between Macron's Eurocentrism and public distancing from Washington and Starmer's more pragmatic approach. For reasons, presumably, of personal chemistry, Starmer and Trump have a warm relationship denied to most of America's allies, as well as lower tariffs. This includes Macron who recently irritated Trump by saying that the Americans had left the G7 early to negotiate peace with Iran, while the real purpose was to organise some heavy bombing. As a result, the UK now has a relatively more favourable trading and general diplomatic relationship with Washington than the EU or France. The Europeans wonder whose 'side' the British are on. Starmer, in true British tradition, insists there is no choice to be made. Do such state visits make a difference? A bit. The personal diplomacy of Edward VII helped cement the Entente Cordiale, which was signed in 1904, for example, but the 1960 state visit by President de Gaulle didn't do much to erode his hostility to Britain's desperate attempts to gain membership of the then European Economic Community on favourable terms. Like the tiaras and the banquetry on display this week, there's also a certain continuity in Britain's ambiguous attitude to Europe.
Times
an hour ago
- Times
Keir Starmer to push Macron for last-minute migrant return deal
Sir Keir Starmer will urge President Macron to agree a 'one in, one out' migrant returns deal on Tuesday, despite warnings that announcing it before it is ready will lead to a surge in crossings. The prime minister is pressing for the deal as the centrepiece of a new agreement between Britain and France that the two leaders will sign at an Anglo-French summit on Thursday. The arrangement would allow Britain to return small boat migrants to France in exchange for accepting asylum seekers with a family connection in the UK. However, British and French officials are yet to finalise the details as the French president's three-day state visit begins on Tuesday. The UK government is also in last ditch talks with the European Commission to overcome opposition from a group of five Mediterranean countries who fear a bilateral deal between Britain and France would add to pressure at their own borders.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Labour billionaire donor ‘nervous' about Starmer and ‘hits out at winter fuel payments fiasco'
The most high-profile billionaire Labour party donor has revealed he is 'increasingly nervous' about the direction Keir Starmer 's government is taking. John Caudwell – who switched allegiance from the Tories – also hit out at Labour's winter fuel payments cut 'fiasco' as well as the welfare rebellion, declaring that the party has done a bad job at telling the right story to the electorate. The Phones 4u founder – who has a fortune of £1.58bn but has promised to give away more than 70 per cent of it – warned a wealth tax would be 'very destructive' to growth, as he called on ministers to do more to bring investment into the UK. The 72-year-old's comments come as Sir Keir is reportedly facing another rebellion from his backbenchers over reforms to support for children with special needs in England, just days after he was forced into the humiliating climbdown on benefit cuts. Mr Caudwell was previously a Tory backer for many years, donating £500,000 to the Conservatives ahead of the 2019 general election, making him one of the party's biggest donors. But for last year's election, he pledged to vote Labour for the time ever. However, Mr Caudwell has now said he is in 'despair of politicians', The Guardian reported. And despite being a prominent Brexit supporter, he said the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis is the reason he could never support Reform UK. He also called on Labour to do more on net zero, describing schemes such as Great British Energy as 'lacking in ambition', although he welcomed green energy plans that the party has implemented. He added that, despite his background in mobile phones, he fears social media and AI are a 'disaster' for anxiety and said he is worried for a future in which AI fakes become the norm. Speaking of Sir Keir's party, the businessman said: 'They're just going to be tossed from pillar to post, that's how it feels. I am becoming increasingly nervous about what Labour are doing and especially when they get into this mess over the welfare bill because it feels as though there's anarchy within the party.' However, he did say he welcomed some key changes from Labour, citing pension funds reform and planning changes. Speaking during the launch of a report from his charity Caudwell Youth, he continued: 'There seems to be a lack of that commercial intellect that we desperately need in government to make long-term right decisions... 'I despair of politicians in general. You've got to attract inward investment to create high-paid jobs and in technology, sciences and especially in the environment, since that's going to be the absolute future of mankind. 'There's so much we need to do and there's so little we do, and that was the Conservative party before and now it's the Labour party.' However, he insisted he did not regret switching allegiance. Mr Caudwell called on Sir Keir to be bolder in his second year leading the country. 'I'd be a bit like a [version of] Trump who's smart and who's humanitarian,' he said. 'And I'd force things through. You wouldn't do any of the same things [as Trump], but it is what we need.' However, he raised concerns that Nigel Farage would be 'too much of a Trumpite' if he ever became prime minister. Mr Caudwell said: 'That would not be healthy for Britain at all. But a lot of what he says makes a lot of sense to me. He's able to talk very directly to people's concerns.'
