Nice terror attack: Shropshire politicians appalled by atrocity in France

Eyewitnesses have said the killer swerved from side to side yesterday to kill as many people as possible as he drove along the Promenade des Anglais on the seafront of the city in the south of France.

Politicians have taken to Twitter to express their outrage and support for the people of France.

And in Shropshire, flags including the French flag, were being flown at half mast at Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council.

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne was himself marking Bastille Day with hundreds of other people at the French Embassy in London last night, before the news broke.

He said he "shared in the shock" of the people of France following the attack.

Mr Dunne said: "I was commemorating Bastille Day with the French ambassador and some 100 people before the news had broken.

"I have spend much of the last 10 days talking to my French counterparts. On Wednesday I met with my French ministerial counterpart.

"I am full of solidarity, fraternity and commiserations with France at this tragedy."

He tweeted:

Shrewsbury & Atcham MP Daniel Mr Kawczynski said: "I am appalled. It is shocking and horrific and I am determined that our Government has to help, not just technically, but we have to show the French people we are with them.

"We are in a period where terrorists can use almost any normal every day object to cause carnage and mayhem to untold harm to large numbers of people.

"It is incredibly difficult to police that kind of threat. It is very difficult to prevent.

"We need to see if there is anything we can do as a Government, such as what additional cooperation our security forces can give to our French counterparts, not in a patronising way but just in an additional sharing of information and best practice.

"France is at the moment it would appear in a permanent state of national high alert which is a very difficult position for people to be living in. That is why the Government has to look at what, if anything, can be done in terms of our security forces assisting our French counterparts.

"I am sure everyone would want to do what we can to support our neighbours. This is an opportunity to show our French neighbours that we will help them get through this.

"We have been there ourselves. The British people have experienced for a prolonged period of time a sustained terrorist threat on the streets of our cities and yet we got through it. We got through it because we were resilient and stuck together as a nation.

"The French have that same passion and determination and I have every confidence they will get through this. But, it is very important now to look to Boris Johnson as Foreign Secretary and Theresa May as Prime Minister, that we roll our sleeves up and provide whatever assistance the French require."

"We had been in Paris with the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on Wednesday. We were invited by our counterparts in the French Governments and the way they treated us was superb. Despite Brexit they understood as politicians the need to respect the will of the British people.

Mr Kawczynski tweeted:

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard said:

Telford MP Lucy Allan tweeted:

Russell George, AM for Montgomeryshire tweeted:

Telford & Wrekin Council leader Shaun Davies said:

Meanwhile Shropshire Council leader Malcolm Pate said: "I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear the news from Nice last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Nice, with all those killed or injured, and with their families and friends. And our thoughts and sympathy are also with the people of France, who have now suffered three horrific attacks in the last two years.

"Those responsible for these atrocities must never be allowed to destroy our liberty, fraternity and freedom.

"The French flag is today flying at half-mast outside Shirehall in Shrewsbury as a mark of respect and support for all those affected.

"On behalf of Shropshire Council and the people of Shropshire I will be formally sending a letter of sympathy to the Mayor of Nice, to express our sadness and condolences."

Nationally, Prime Minister Theresa May tweeted:

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said:

Former prime minister David Cameron added:

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted: