Standing united against terror

The terror attack at Westminster serves as a reminder to us all about just how precious our democracy is.

That we live in a free, democratic society – one built upon the strong bonds of our shared values of human rights, tolerance and the rule of law – is something that we must cherish.

All too often it takes a tragedy like the terror attack perpetrated against innocent people last week to jolt our collective consciousness into action.

In the aftermath of last week’s events the shorthand which so often accompanies thoughts of “Westminster” has faded away. A far cry from a faceless, disconnected and bureaucratic political structure, the human face of Westminster all of a sudden became beamed into every living room and on to smartphone screens across the country.

PC Keith Palmer, who was just doing his job and keeping everyone at Westminster safe so that our system of government can function.

Aysha Frade, the college worker and mother who was on her way to pick up her children from school.

Kurt Cochran, the American tourist who was celebrating his wedding anniversary and sightseeing at the “mother of all parliaments”.

And all of the other victims who were killed or seriously injured in this cowardly attack – all serve as reminders of our humanity.

They are a reminder that our sister parliament is a living institution, a place of work for so many of our public servants, not just for our MPs but also for the cleaners, janitors, administrators, journalists, police officers and more.

No one should go to their work and not expect to be able to return home safely.

Those individuals who commit such cowardly attacks must not succeed in dividing us.

Instead we must unite to tackle terror and uphold our values of democracy, freedom and tolerance.

As I sat in the Scottish Parliament chamber during the ‘Scotland’s Choice’ debate and the terrible news began to trickle in, the fear and sorrow I felt last year when I first heard that Jo Cox had been shot returned.

Last week’s events underline more clearly than ever before the need to conduct our politics respectfully.

The need to heed Jo’s words matters as much now as it ever has done and, as Scotland stands in solidarity and sorrow with London, it’s clear that “we are far more united and have far more in common with each other than things that divide us”.

Scotland stands in solidarity and sorrow with London