EAST Renfrewshire MP Kirsten Oswald is a columnist for the Barrhead News.

Last week she filed a column under the most trying of circumstances while stuck inside parliament during the London terror attack.

I HAD put time aside in my diary to write this column, as I always do.

This does not always work. Parliamentary business can be unpredictable at the best of times and, most weeks, I end up writing bits between debates, votes and meetings.

This week is a bit different. I am writing this column while locked in the Commons Chamber, along with several hundred other MPs, as the police and security staff deal with a terrible terror attack, which has just taken place outside.

There will be the opportunity in due course for the authorities to establish all of the circumstances. For now, a few things are clear.

A police officer has died. Innocent civilians have died. People going about their business, perhaps on holiday, or going to work, were caught in this terrible situation.

Some of them have sustained life-changing injuries.

My sincere condolences go to the families and friends of those who lost their lives and my best wishes go to those who were injured.

Among all of this, reports have emerged of extraordinary bravery and courage.

Security staff, police and people passing by ran into the face of a terrible, unknown danger to help others.

In the face of the unthinkable scene they faced, they showed the very best of human behaviour.

The Westminster security and police staff are unfailingly professional and, as we saw, incredibly brave.

They do something most of us would not be prepared to do – put themselves in danger every day, to keep others safe.

On this occasion, one of them paid the ultimate price.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all others affected by this horrible attack.

While I am sitting here with my colleagues, locked in for our own safety by the security staff protecting us, they are continuing to deal with what is happening.

Even after hearing of the death of one of their colleagues, they continued to act with the utmost professionalism.

I cannot imagine how hard that must be.

I know I have been anxiously watching out to make sure all my MP colleagues are here and monitoring staff colleagues so that I can be sure everyone is accounted for.

I am not sure I could continue to work, the way these officers have been, if I was in their position.

All over the country, police and other emergency services personnel take the risk of personal injury or worse when they go to work.

I am shocked by what is happening outside while I sit here but, mainly, I am hugely grateful to all those all over the country who work hard to keep us all safe every day.