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'Hero' British MP tried to save stabbed officer

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Press Trust of India London
British Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood has been called a "hero" after he was pictured giving first aid to a wounded police officer, one of four casualties of the London terror attack.

Keith Palmer, a police constable, was stabbed by the attacker, who was shot dead by police.

Ellwood, a Conservative MP and former Army officer, performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on Palmer in New Palace Yard, Westminster.

Four people, including the police officer and the attacker, died. At least 40 people were injured, including three other officers.

Paramedics fought to save Palmer's life, and that of his attacker, on the floor of the cobbled courtyard in front of Parliament.
 

Ellwood - whose brother died in the Bali terrorist bombing in 2002 - was among those who rushed to help and attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of injured Palmer.

His friend of 20 years, Conservative MP Adam Afriyie, told the BBC he saw him heading towards the scene despite police instructions to rush to safety.

Photographs showed the MP's bloodied hands and face as he applied pressure to the officer's wounds.

Ellwood's actions attracted admiration from his Westminster colleagues.

Conservative MP Ben Howlett tweeted: "Tobias Ellwood is an absolute hero for what he did to help the policeman this afternoon!"

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: "Today, Tobias gave MPs a good name.

"He was utterly heroic, pure and simple. He went above and beyond and did all he could to save a police officer."

The Bournemouth East MP is a Foreign Office minister, with the Middle East, Africa and counter terrorism listed among the areas within his brief.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

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First Published: Mar 23 2017 | 6:33 PM IST

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