I’m okay, and as far as I know all family, friends and colleagues are okay. One friend was on a tube minutes ahead of one of those bombed, in his words - “Bit close for comfort”.
I work for Visit London (which is effectively the London Tourist Board after a rebranding) and the past two days have been one bastard of rollercoaster. Yesterday was the best thing that could happen to London, today was the worst. But London, like New York and Madrid, will survive this.
Nothing much else to say, too numb. Except that whatever you may think of Ken Livingstone as a politician, his statement is a wonderful summation of why London will survive and why terrorism should fail, must fail, will fail. The last few paragraphs in particular:
Finally, I wish to speak directly to those who came to London today to take life.
I know that you personally do not fear giving up your own life in order to take others - that is why you are so dangerous. But I know you fear that you may fail in your long-term objective to destroy our free society and I can show you why you will fail.
In the days that follow look at our airports, look at our sea ports and look at our railway stations and, even after your cowardly attack, you will see that people from the rest of Britain, people from around the world will arrive in London to become Londoners and to fulfil their dreams and achieve their potential.
They choose to come to London, as so many have come before because they come to be free, they come to live the life they choose, they come to be able to be themselves. They flee you because you tell them how they should live. They don’t want that and nothing you do, however many of us you kill, will stop that flight to our city where freedom is strong and where people can live in harmony with one another. Whatever you do, however many you kill, you will fail.
