Terror ‘still knocks at door of democracy’, Burnham says on 9/11 25th anniversary
Andy Burnham and Sir Tony Blair marked the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Friday, with Burnham warning that terror "still knocks at the door of democracy" while affirming the enduring bond between the UK and US. The anniversary comes amid ceremonies held on both sides of the Atlantic to honour the nearly 3,000 people killed, including 67 Britons, and to reaffirm shared democratic values in the face of ongoing terrorist threats.
Burnham drew parallels with terrorist attacks in Manchester during his time as mayor, recalling messages of support sent by children of 9/11 victims to the families of those killed in Manchester. Blair, who was prime minister at the time of the attacks, described 9/11 as the worst terrorist atrocity ever committed and the largest loss of British lives to terrorism, calling for renewed efforts to combat terrorism and pursue peaceful coexistence. The attacks on 11 September 2001 saw hijacked passenger jets strike the World Trade Centre's twin towers and the Pentagon, killing 2,977 people in total.
In short
- Burnham and Blair mark 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks
- Burnham warns terror "still knocks at the door of democracy"
- Leaders reaffirm UK-US bond, remember 2,977 victims including 67 Britons
Explained simply
Terror attacks on the United States on 11 September 2001 killed nearly 3,000 people, including 67 Britons, when hijacked planes hit the World Trade Centre's twin towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. The atrocity reshaped security policy and international relations for decades, and it forged a close bond between the UK and US, which has stood together in ceremonies marking the anniversary ever since.
Sir Tony Blair was the UK prime minister at the time of the attacks and has long spoken about their significance for British and global security. Andy Burnham, now Mayor of Greater Manchester, has his own experience of terrorism through attacks on his city, including the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, which he often links to the wider fight against extremism.
Each year on 11 September, politicians, survivors and victims' families hold ceremonies on both sides of the Atlantic to remember those who died and to discuss the continuing threat of terrorism to democratic societies.
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