LONDON • Britain's national parliamentary election will go ahead on Thursday, British Prime Minister Theresa May said yesterday after an attack in London left seven people dead and 48 injured.

Several political parties, including Mrs May's Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party, suspended campaigning yesterday, but the Prime Minister said it would resume today.

"As a mark of respect, the two political parties have suspended our national campaigns for today, but violence can never be allowed to disrupt the democratic process, so those campaigns will resume in full tomorrow and the general election will go ahead as planned on Thursday," Mrs May said in a televised statement in front of 10 Downing Street.

The Conservative Party's chances of success in the general election have increased following Mrs May's reaction to the terror attack, a leading academic said yesterday.

Professor Anthony Glees, director at the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham, said Mrs May's tougher stand on terror would improve her party's chances.

"I think this will be played out in the general election and it could increase Theresa May's chances in the election, because she seemed to deliver a firm message to the people. The Conservatives are therefore likely to benefit as a result on Thursday. This is a national emergency and, at such times, people feel the need to rally around," he added.

REUTERS, XINHUA