Cobra: Dramatic name for committee that responds to national crises

Cobra met in the wake of the 7/7 bombings in London

COBRA is the name given to the government's civil contingencies committee which formulates its response to national crises and potentially disruptive issues.

Despite its dramatic title, the group's name is derived from the Cabinet Office Briefing Room A in Downing Street, where it normally meets.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Its members vary according to the issue being dealt with, though they can include the Prime Minister, senior ministers, police and intelligence chiefs. Other events which Cobra was called to discuss include the London bombings and Britain's first case of bird flu in 2006, when a swan was found to have the disease near Cellardyke, Fife.