Cllr Chris Blakeley on the Terrace at the House of Commons (the lampost on the bridge on my left, as you look at the picture, was the one the jumper used to launch themselves into the river)
Last night, after attending a Parliamentary Reception in Portcullis House, hosted by Merseytravel, and attended by many North West MP’s and Chris Mole MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport and Liverpool Riverside MP, Louise Ellman, Chair of the Transport Select Committee, I was invited to partake of a beer, or two on the terrace of the ‘Strangers Bar’.
It was a pleasant evening, and lots of people were on the terrace, suddenly we heard shouting from the nearby Westminster Bridge, a man was standing on one of the street light columns and he was shouting out, the next minute he threw himself off the bridge and into the Thames, not the sort of thing you expect when enjoying a quiet beer in nice surroundings. Within minutes the Fire and Rescue Launch and the RNLI were on site (pictured above) and dragged the man out of the water and off they went, a police launch appeared about ten minute later!
Not sure how the guy is, and to be honest I don’t care, the cost of the rescue and more importantly taking emergency services away from more important events is totally irresponsible. I am just glad when he hit the water he did not splash my beer!
