Conservative MEP Amjad Bashir today called for unity across all communities in the face of the Manchester bomb attack.

Mr Bashir, MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “This is a shocking and callous attack, deliberately targeting our British way of life.

“Sickeningly, it targeted families, children and teenagers enjoying a fun night out. They could have been the children or grandchildren of any of us.

“If this transpires to have been an act of Islamist terrorism I hope people will understand that murderous barbarism of this kind can find no succour, no crumb of justification in true Islam.

“We must all stand together – uniting within and across communities – to make it clear these attempts to shake us, divide us and intimidate us will not prevail.”