THE Westminster terror attacker has been named as Khalid Masood.

Scotland Yard said the 52-year-old was not the subject of any current investigations and there was "no prior intelligence about his intent to mount a terrorist attack".

However, he was known to police and has a range of previous convictions for assaults, including GBH, possession of offensive weapons and public order offences.

Masood was born in Kent and detectives believe he was most recently living in the West Midlands.

He was also known by a number of aliases, the Metropolitan Police said.

Masood's first conviction was in November 1983 for criminal damage and his last conviction was in December 2003 for possession of a knife.

He has not been convicted for any terrorism offences, the Met said.

Eight people have been arrested in raids in London, Birmingham and elsewhere linked to the Westminster terror attack, police have revealed.

Mark Rowley, the Met's senior anti-terror officer, said six addresses were raided overnight.

Delivering a defiant message to a packed House of Commons today, Mrs May said: "We will never waver in the face of terrorism."

The death toll from the attack stands at four - the attacker, Pc Keith Palmer, Aysha Frade, a college worker, and Kurt W. Cochran, a US tourist.

29 people have been treated in hospital, with seven people in a critical condition.

A large area around the Palace of Westminster, including Parliament Square and Westminster Bridge, remained cordoned off on Thursday morning but staff were able to access the building and return to work.