This is Manchester. Hate will never tear us apart

Twenty-one years ago a huge bomb devastated the fabric of the our city centre. The largest bomb to ever explode in mainland UK destroyed the heart of our city, but not the heart of our people.  

People often say the IRA bomb was the best thing to happen to Manchester. It was not. It was a despicable act that, but for the amazing response of our emergency services and some kind of miracle, would have maimed and killed scores of people. The reaction of the people of Manchester to the bomb, however – well that may have been the best thing to happen to the city. Our city and its people stood defiant in the face of an attempt to terrorise us. We rebuilt our city centre, bigger and better. We continue to rebuild, to renew, to develop and to improve.  

Last night, less than 500 yards from the site of the 1996 bomb, our city was again attacked by an act of unparalleled evil. An act of cowardice, of such craven disregard for humankind that it is barely believable. A barbaric depraved act of mass murder aimed at innocent, defenceless children.  Children.  

We are devastated by this attack and we will grieve for the children, the mums and dads, the brothers and sisters, the parents and the friends who went to see a pop concert but who never came home. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with and offer our support to the hundreds more who will suffer physical and psychological scars for years to come.  We will never forget you and our city will honour you. But we will never be beaten by these people who seek to harm us, to make us afraid, to break our spirit, to divide us.  

We are resolute and we are strong. We thank our amazing emergency services and our NHS for their remarkable response and ongoing efforts. We thank all the people, the businesses, hotels, pubs and guest houses who opened their doors to give shelter to strangers. We thank the taxi drivers who ferried people to safety. We thank the homeless who ran to the scene to help the injured.

But to those who would so wantonly do us harm, who would try and change our way of life, our freedoms, our tolerance, our love and kindness to one another – you will never win. We are not afraid. We will not cower in the corner. We will not be divided.  

This is our city and we will stand together, as one people, proud of the city we have created, our heritage, our cultural roots, our sports teams, our diversity, of what we have achieved and what is yet to come. You will never, ever break us. We are unbreakable. We are in unity. We are strong. We are Manchester.