I want to offer my condolences to the families of those who died in the dreadful attack in Reading and to show my support for the injured, their families and others who have been affected, and pay tribute to the response from across our community.

Please find my full statement below:

Like other local people I was shocked and deeply upset by the dreadful attack in Forbury Gardens.

I want to offer my deepest condolences to the families of the three people who died, my thoughts are with them; it is impossible to imagine what they are going through and my heart goes out to them.

I am also thinking about the injured and their loved ones, and with all those who have been affected by this terrible attack.

I want to thank the police and the emergency services for their swift response and for the incredible bravery shown by some of the officers who appear to have rugby tackled the armed attacker to the ground.

Reading is a friendly, peaceful, town, with a diverse and tolerant community. This type of incident, until Saturday, was unheard of. Nothing like it has ever happened here before.

Our community solidarity was demonstrated again today when a wide range of different faith and community groups laid flowers together and in the way in which people observed a minute’s silence.

Our community is pulling together at this difficult time and I am very proud of the way in which local people have been supporting one another.

We can, and we will, come through this together.