BRITAIN will not be cowed or defeated by terrorism, Theresa May has insisted as she condemned the terror attack on Westminster as “sickening”.

In a Commons statement, heard in complete silence, the Prime Minister said that the country had sent a defiant message to the terrorists by simply getting on with their lives as normal.

She told MPs: “An act of terrorism tried to silence our democracy but today we meet as normal - as generations have done before us, and as future generations will continue to do - to deliver a simple message: we are not afraid and our resolve will never waiver in the face of terrorism.”

An hour after MPs gathered at the usual time at Westminster and stood for a minute's silence in honour of the innocent people killed and injured in the attack, Mrs May said the actions of millions around the country had shown the terrorists that "we will never give in".

In a show of defiance, the PM told the packed Commons chamber: "The greatest response lies not in the words of politicians but in the everyday actions of ordinary people.

"For beyond these walls today, in scenes repeated in towns and cities across the country, millions of people are going about their days and getting on with their lives. The streets are as busy as ever, the offices full, the coffee shops and cafes bustling.

"As I speak, millions will be boarding planes and aeroplanes to travel to London and to see for themselves the greatest city on Earth. It is in these actions - millions of acts of normality - that we find the best response to terrorism.

"A response that denies our enemies their victory, that refuses to let them win, that shows we will never give in. A response driven by that same spirit that drove a husband and father to put himself between us and our attacker and to pay the ultimate price. A response that says to the men and women who propagate this hate and evil: 'You will not defeat us.’”

She added: “Let this be the message from this House and this nation today: our values will prevail."

Mrs May said what happened on the streets of Westminster had "sickened us all" and she paid fulsome tribute to Keith Palmer, the policeman, who died after being stabbed.

"He was every inch a hero and his actions will never be forgotten," she declared.

Later on, her Tory colleague Nigel Evans, the former Deputy Speaker, suggested that at some point in the future it might be appropriate to place a memorial for PC Palmer, recognising his selfless act of heroism.

Jeremy Corbyn for Labour also struck a tone of defiance but insisted people should not rush to judgement but wait until the police had established the full facts.

“We must stay united in our communities and not to allow fear or the voices of hatred to divide or cower us. It is by demonstrating our values of solidarity, community, humanity and love that we will defeat the poison and division of hatred,” he said.

Angus Robertson, the SNP leader, declared how “notwithstanding our differences on political and constitutional issues, we are as one in our dedication to democracy, the rule of law and harmony between the peoples of all faiths and none”.

Condemning the “appalling, indiscriminate terrorist act,” the Moray MP insisted society would recommit itself to strengthen the bonds of tolerance and understanding.

To hear hears, he quoted the remarks of Brendan Cox, the widower of Jo Cox, who said: “’In the days to come I hope we will remember the love and bravery of the victim and not just the hatred and cowardice of the attacker.’”

Later, MP after MP stood up to make it clear that terrorism, in all its different forms, would never win.

Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: “Those who attack us hate our freedom, our peaceful democracy, our love of country, our tolerance, our openness and our unity,” and stressed these should not be curtailed in the face of a terrorist attack.

Harriet Harman, the former deputy Labour leader, stressed how the horrific crime had failed as an act of terror. “It has failed because we are here and we are going to go about our business…[and] it has failed because we are not going to allow this to be used as a pretext for hatred, division and Islamophobia.”