Whitehall closed as police investigate suspicious package near Downing Street

People told to avoid area as Parliament Street sealed off

A major road was closed near Downing Street while police investigated a suspicious package.

Parliament Street was cordoned off close to the junction with Downing Street after police were called to the scene this morning.

A police spokesperson said: “Police were called at 11.27am on Tuesday 7 June to reports of a suspicious package found at Parliament Street.

“Officers are on scene and safety cordons and closures are in place while enquiries are undertaken.”

The Independent’s political editor Andrew Woodcock, who was at the scene, said Whitehall was closed off with police tape, preventing people from going in and out of Downing Street, while two fire engines were positioned on Parliament Square.

A message over the tannoy within 9 Downing Street informed those inside they would not be able to leave via the front gate during the incident, he said.

Witnesses heard a loud noise from the direction of Whitehall about an hour in to the incident.

Parliament Street has been cordoned off near Downing Street while police investigate a suspicious package (Andrew Woodcock/The Independent)

Ramy Inocencio, a CBS News foreign correspondent based in London, said he heard what sounded like a controlled explosion coming from Parliament Street around the same time.

He wrote on Twitter: “We just heard the boom of a controlled explosion echo down Parliament Street. One police officer next to me remarked offhand he hopes/thinks that’s that.”

In an earlier tweet he said: “We just got word of a suspicious package nearby 10 Downing.

“Police have put up a safety cordon and investigating.

“Cars haven’t been passing by the gate on Parliament Street outside since at least noon I’d say.”

Another witness said they had been told by police to leave the area.

The Metropolitan Police police later confirmed the road closures and cordons would be lifted after the item was found to be non suspicious.