Keir Starmer issues statement after Emergency Alerts hit UK phones

Little over an hour ago, the UK waited with bated breath.

Time ticked, clocks slowed, and with a peculiar siren, there it was.

The alerts, which rang out at 3pm or soon after, read: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK Government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.

“In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.

“Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.”

While much coverage was given in advance of the alert sounding across the nation, many were still taken aback by the sudden jarring sound to come out of their phones.

The test has been hailed a success by many, and as absolutely terrifying by others.

One person who's since issued a statement is none other than Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who wrote: "Tens of millions of phones successfully sounded across the country during today’s Emergency Alert test.

"This is an important step in keeping people safe during national emergencies."

The system was introduced in 2023 and is intended to warn the public of imminent danger nearby.

It has so far been used four times, most recently during Storm Darragh in December 2024.

It is believed the government want to test this system again following a hike in tensions in the Middle East earlier this year which included the United States’ involvement in the conflict.