The House of Commons was hushed. It was 3.30pm and David Cameron took to his feet.
Ken Reid: Sunday, 13 June 2010
It was one of the most important speeches of his career and the MPs listened intensely.
For the next 13 minutes, he delivered words which must have been music to the ears of the Bloody Sunday families:
"There is no doubt, there is nothing equivocal, there are no ambiguities", he said.
"What happened on Bloody Sunday was both unjustified and unjustifiable. It was wrong."
He then went further: "The Government is ultimately responsible for the conduct of our armed forces and for that, on behalf of the Government - and indeed our country - I am deeply sorry."
In the gallery, the former DUP leader Ian Paisley Sr and Lord Eames watched on. Members of two of the Bloody Sunday families were also in the House of Commons.
What followed was dignified and striking, Mark Durkan reading out the names of the Bloody Sunday dead... You could have heard a pin drop.
David Cameron remained unequivocal. It may have happened 38 years ago but for a few moments it seems like only yesterday.