Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was at the centre of a major security alert on Tuesday afternoon after being evacuated from a Holiday Inn hotel in Castle Bromwich. The incident unfolded when a suspicious vehicle was reported in the hotel's car park, prompting an immediate and large-scale emergency response.
Armed police and bomb disposal experts from the Royal Logistics Corps were scrambled to the scene on Chester Road. Witnesses reported a significant cordon being established around the area, causing substantial disruption to local traffic and businesses.
The situation reached its peak when specialists carried out a controlled explosion on the suspect vehicle as a precautionary measure. West Midlands Police confirmed that the operation was a standard procedure to ensure public safety and that the item was deemed not to be a viable threat following further examination.
A government spokesperson released a statement confirming that the Home Secretary was safe and that her security had not been compromised. "The Home Secretary was briefly evacuated as a precaution. All protocols were followed correctly by her security team and the West Midlands Police, whom we thank for their swift and professional response."
This security scare highlights the ever-present vigilance surrounding high-profile government ministers and the robust procedures in place to handle potential threats. The hotel has since resumed normal operations, and an investigation into the origin of the suspicious vehicle is ongoing.
