Parliament 'suspicious substance': Two people taken to hospital as precaution as police cordon off area

Parliamentary authorities later said the package was not found to be hazardous

Houses of Parliament (PA)

Two people have been taken to hospital as a precaution as police cordoned off an area of Parliament to investigate a “suspicious substance”.

Police and ambulance services arrived on the parliamentary estate just before 1pm and specialist officers from the Metropolitan Police assessed the package.

It was reportedly sent to the office of Mohammad Yasin, who was elected as the Labour MP for Bedford at the 2017 snap general election.

A Parliamentary spokesperson said: “Today a suspicious substance was investigated by the Met Police and was found not to be hazardous.

“The affected area was temporarily cordoned off but no evacuation was necessary.

Police added in a statement: “We were called at 12.58pm to reports of a suspicious package at Norman Shaw Buildings, Victoria Embankment, Westminster.

“Specialist officers attended and the package is being assessed.

“London Ambulance Service attended. A man and a woman have been taken to a central London hospital as a precaution.”