If more of us step forward, no terrorist is going to win, says Tobias Ellwood
Defence minister who gave CPR to Pc Keith Palmer in Westminster Bridge attack speaks at victims’ inquest
TOBIAS ELLWOOD, the Conservative MP, has said that the public should “step forward” to stop terrorists despite government advice to the contrary, as he gave an emotional account of his efforts to save a victim of the Westminster attack.
The defence minister, who gave medical assistance to Pc Keith Palmer after the attack in March 2017, told an inquest how he sat with the police officer in “eerie silence” and “closed his eyes” after he was pronounced dead.
Mr Ellwood then told the body “I am sorry”, he recalled.
Pc Palmer was fatally stabbed by Khalid Masood on March 22 last year inside the grounds of the Palace of Westminster. Shortly before attacking the unarmed police officer, Masood killed Kurt Cochran, 54, Leslie Rhodes, 75, Aysha Frade, 44, and Andreea Cristea, 31, when he drove an SUV into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge.
Mr Ellwood’s account opened the second week of the inquest into the victims’ deaths.
The MP for Bournemouth East used his time in the stand at the Old Bailey to encourage the public to “step forward” in the event of a terror attack because it helps send a message to terrorists, suggesting that he is at odds with government advice.
He said: “I know that official advice is to step back, report it. But I find myself countering that somewhat, because if more of us do step forward as we saw in the Manchester attack, London Bridge and Westminster Bridge as well, the message gets though that no terrorist is going to win.”
Mr Ellwood, who served in the Royal Green Jackets, told the inquest that he refused to stop giving Pc Palmer CPR until a doctor gave him the final order.
He said: “I looked at [the doctor] and said, ‘you are going to have to tell me to stop. You must order me to stop. You are going to have to make that decision.’ He then said, ‘Sir, you have done your best but you do need to stop. There’s nothing more we can do.’”
Mr Ellwood, who was left alongside Pc Palmer’s body with one other person after doctors moved on to assist other causalities, said: “We both then tidied up the body as best we could. I closed his eyes and I said, ‘I am sorry.’
“It was very, very silent. It was a strange end to a very dramatic four or five minutes, to suddenly be left alone with just one other person.”
Recollecting the moment he knew that something serious was unfolding, Mr Ellwood said he “heard a significant crash followed by screams” before “waves of people” started running towards him. He said: “They were not screams of pain or injury, but screams of shock. That made me aware that something out of the ordinary was starting to happen.”
Police officers on the scene warned him that he could be in danger, but Mr Ellwood, whose brother died in the Bali bombing in 2002, told the court: “My brother was killed in a secondary attack … so I was very aware of that.
“I was concerned about what would happen if things were to ratchet up, but my immediate concern was that we had somebody who was clearly badly bleeding and needed assistance.”
Mr Ellwood paused during his recollection of trying to save Pc Palmer’s life, telling the coroner: “Forgive me, it’s sometimes easier to do the helping rather than to talk about it afterwards.”
He admitted to being previously concerned about the lack of armed officers in Westminster, but challenged suggestions that security should be ramped up, urging that “we must not be so risk averse and so reliant on our security forces”.
The MP told the inquest that he visited the exact place where he attempted to save Pc Palmer’s life yesterday morning before attending court.
He said: “I felt obliged to go and visit the spot and I was pleased to see the level of security we now have in place. I am not sure we can do much more.”
‘Forgive me, it’s sometimes easier to do the helping rather than to talk about it afterwards’