Parties restart their campaigning amid heightened security

LONDON : Scotland Yard said on Friday it had planned for heightened security for the upcoming bank holiday weekend,with several public and sports events, as campaigning for the June 8 polls resumed after the Manchester Arena attack earlier this week.

The Labour Party was the first of the major parties to hit the campaign trail after a temporary pause in light of Monday’s terror attack. The Greater Manchester Police said eight people remained in custody for offences related to terrorism, while investigations and raids continued.

Scotland Yard chief superintendent Jon Williams said: “London is a busy and vibrant place to be on any given weekend, and this weekend will be no different, as the city plays host to a range of top class sporting fixtures and other events.

“Since the change in threat level, we have increased our policing levels and deployed a range of different operations and tactics to best protect the capital.”

The stepped security includes extra armed officers freed up by military support providing static guarding at key locations, and additional armed officers at some events planned in London across the weekend.

“We are working closely with both the Football Association and Wembley to ensure this weekend’s iconic football matches pass off without incident… At Twickenham rugby fans will see more armed officers on foot around the stadium, Williams added.

In excerpts released before his speech, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn linked terror threats to Britain joining wars abroad.

Corbyn was due to pledge in a major speech a “change at home and change abroad” if Labour wins power: “(Many) experts... have pointed to the connections between wars our government has supported or fought in other countries and terrorism here at home.

“That assessment in no way reduces the guilt of those who attack our children. Those terrorists will forever be reviled and held to account for their actions.”