Evening Telegraph (First Edition)

PM vows national response to tackle ‘far-right’ disorder

SIR Keir Starmer condemned “far-right hatred” in the wake of the Southport stabbings as he announced a new “national” response to the violent disorder linking police forces across the country.

The prime minister said “thugs” involved in the scenes of unrest should not “pretend they are speaking” for the grieving families of the three young girls killed in the initial attack.

At a press conference following riots in which bricks were hurled at police officers and a local mosque targeted, Sir Keir warned: “The far right are showing who they are – we have to show who we are in response to that.”

In a televised address from Downing Street after the disorder in London, Hartlepool, Manchester and Southport, he announced a new “national capability” to tackle the disorder across police forces in England.

This will involve sharing intelligen­ce, wider deployment of facial recognitio­n technology and criminal behaviour orders to restrict the movement of those involved, Sir Keir said.

He said: “These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community. We must have a policing response that can do the same.”

The prime minister also sounded a note of caution to social media companies after misinforma­tion spread online about the identity of the 17-year-old suspect, including false claims that he was an asylum seeker.

“Let me also say to large social media companies and those who run them: violent disorder, clearly whipped up online, that is also a crime, it’s happening on your premises, and the law must be upheld everywhere,” he said.

“That is the single most important duty of government, service rests on security. We will take all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”

Sir Keir, a former director of public prosecutio­ns, also warned that speculatin­g about the attack could risk prejudicin­g the active criminal proceeding­s against the suspect and impeding justice for the bereaved families.

Asked what his message was to Muslims who may be concerned after a mosque was targeted in the violence in Southport, he said: “In relation to the Muslim community, let me be very clear: I will take every step that’s necessary to keep you safe.

“Mosques being attacked because they’re mosques – the far right are showing who they are. We have to show who we are in response to that.”

The press conference was held shortly after police chiefs from Scotland Yard, Merseyside and West Yorkshire were summoned to Downing Street for crisis talks with the PM and his ministers following the violence.