Politics latest: Nigel Farage 'helped fuel conspiracies' after Southport stabbing, Tory leadership hopeful says (2024)

Number 10 will be breathing a huge sigh of relief this morning as the nation wakes up not to images of burned down buildings and looted shops, but community solidarity and peaceful protest.

It appears that Sir Keir Starmer's plan has worked.

Swift arrests, speedy prosecutions, and the threat of being charged with terrorism offences; such punishment clearly had a deterrent effect on the rioters, alongside the large groups of counter-protesters across the country that far-right protesters and rioters would have been confronted with.

The prime minister's experience as director of public prosecutions during the 2011 London riots has also undoubtedly been an invaluable asset to the government's handling of the violent disorder.

But the government is clear that the country is not out of the woods yet.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson today told Sky News: "There is now further intelligence of events during the next few days, and we need to see what happens there."

Clearly Sir Keir won't want to brand this a victory over "far-right thuggery" prematurely, but if the UK's streets remain peaceful and justice is seen to be done with more and more faces and names of criminal rioters plastered across our screens and newspapers, the prime minister may have just proved his worth to the British public.

This violence and disorder has been Starmer's first major test since becoming prime minister a month ago, and from what we saw – or didn't see – last night, he appears to have passed with flying colours.

However, once the dust settles it feels inevitable that opposition MPs will begin to pick holes not only in Labour's response to the criminality, but in the causes and drivers for such violent unrest from sections of the British public.

For now, Tory leadership candidates are remaining generally supportive of the government, although Robert Jenrick's accusations of unequal and selective treatment by Starmer of far-right rioters compared to "sectarian gangs" looks to be just the beginning of the political attacks to come.

As the Tory leadership race tightens and the all-important votes draw nearer, the gloves may slip off as candidates vie for Conservative MPs' and members' approval.

The shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride, who is running to be the next leader of the Conservatives, tells Sky News his party could return to government at the next general election.

Mr Stride outlines what he believes to be the way forward, including appealing to both the voters the party lost to Reform, and those who went to Labour or the Liberal Democrats.

This needs to happen alongside a overhaul of the party "machine" to make it a "really powerful, dynamic, local campaigning machine", he adds.

Mr Stride highlights the local elections in May as a target for a chance to show a change in the party.

If it goes to plan he believes the Tories "can get back in one term".

He says Labour's majority is thin and easy to turn around.

Mel Stride, who is running to be Conservative Party leader, is speaking to Sky News this morning.

Asked about rival Robert Jenrick's comments yesterday that people chanting Allahu Akbar should be arrested, Mr Stride says he disagrees.

He then moves to attack Nigel Farage over the Reform UK leader's response to the Southport stabbings - in which three little girls were killed.

Mr Stride says: "I think one element of this debate has been skated over and shouldn't have been actually are the remarks, made by Nigel Farage, for example, when the terrible incident in Southport, first occurred.

"His suggestion that the police might have not been telling the truth about that situation, I think, helped fuel conspiracy theories around what was happening, was deeply unhelpful.

"I think linking what happened in Southport with the terrible incident that happened, regarding a uniformed soldier in Kent, over the last week, is also a very, unfortunate linkage and particularly suggesting that, perhaps terrorism might have been involved when the authorities are saying that it hasn't.

"And I think those things are examples of the kind of language and interventions that, at a moment of crisis, are deeply unhelpful and I think that's why we need level heads and moderation as well as very firm action."

After the wave of protests failed to materialise last night, MPs are thanking their communities for turning out in counter-protests.

But they are now saying this risk of riots or protests were over-egged due to posts on social media.

Misinformation 'damages' police response

Jeevun Sandher, the Labour MP forLoughborough, Shepshed, and the Villages, said in a letter to constituents: "If you have any information regarding planned violence, please do not share this on social media or through WhatsApp.

"Please notify the police instead. We have seen instances of misinformation that damages the police response."

Max Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, said in a similar post that "lots of problems" were caused by "one comment on a Facebook group" which led to rumours spreading.

This led to lost revenue for local businesses that closed, Mr Wilkinson says.

He added: "This isn't a moment for blame or finger-pointing. But please always think before you post rumours online.

"And if you think you have intelligence about crime or disorder, the first thing you should do is seek advice from the police on what to do not share it with the world on Facebook."

Speaking to Sky News, policing minister Dame Diana Johnson is asked whether the government has seen evidence of foreign interference on social media in the past days.

Dame Diana says: "I think that's something obviously across government that we are very concerned about."

She says that Peter Kyle, the technology secretary, is talking to social media compaines about what is being posted on the platform.

The minister echos calls from Ofcom for online giants to start abiding by the Online Safety Act, which has been passed into law but has not come into full effect yet.

She says the misinformation and disinformation online has come from the far-right - but "others" might also be contributing.

The Labour frontbencher is asked about Robert Jenrick's comments yesterday, where the Tory leadership hopeful questioned why people chanting Allahu akbar were not arrested during demonstrations.

Dame Diana says all politicians need to be "very careful about the language that they use".

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson is speaking to Sky News this morning after an evening of unrest failed to materialise yesterday.

But she says she is being "cautious" over thinking the ugly scenes are over.

Dame Diana says: "I am cautious about what happened last night.

"It's good that we didn't see the level of disorder and criminality on our streets that we have in previous days, but obviously this is just the start.

"There is now further intelligence of events during the next few days, and we need to see what happens there."

The minister also praises the police for their work in the previous days to quell unrest.

Dame Diana then went on to criticise how law enforcement was run under the Conservative administrations since 2010.

She says police forces have been "hollowed out" over the past 14 years.

And there are also "a lot of young officers" because of cuts to the force before an increase in hiring since 2019.

She says: "That's a lot of young, inexperienced officers who are doing a remarkable job, I have to say.

"So I think there are some questions about how we go forward, making sure that our officers have the training and the leadership that they need."

Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley has said the "fears of extreme-right disorder" were abated last night due to the work of police and a "show of unity from communities".

Sir Mark said he was "really pleased" with how the policing operation played out on Wednesday.

It was thought at least 100 far-right marches were planned to take place across the country, including in London.

As the night progressed, far-right protests did not happen as first thought and instead counter-protesters turned out in UK cities - including Birmingham, Liverpool and Brighton.

Sky News crime correspondent Martin Brunt said there were reports of "small pockets" of far-right protesters in places such as Portsmouth, Brighton and Blackpool.

However, he said fears about it being the biggest night of trouble faded away.

More than 6,000 specialist police had been mobilised amid fears of a repeat of the violence seen around the country over the past week.

Read more about the developmentson this story below:

The Stormont Executive and Assembly have been recalled following rioting in Belfast which police say involves "a paramilitary element".

Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) will meet later to discuss a motion condemning "criminal damage and targeting of businesses in recent days".

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) came under sustained attack from petrol bombs, masonry and bricks in the city on Monday night.

A police Land Rover was set alight, and attempts were made to start a fire in a supermarket.

The disorder was concentrated in the same area where two businesses were targeted on Saturday following an anti-immigration demonstration - and counter protest by anti-racism campaigners - outside Belfast's City Hall.

There have been several arrests in recent days - including a boy as young as 14 - linked to allegations of race-related hate crimes, disorder and rioting.

Read more below:

By Faye Brown, political reporter

A Tory leadership hopeful has accused his rival of being "unwise and insensitive" after saying those who shout "Allahu Akbar" should be "immediately arrested".

Mel Stride took aim at fellow Tory Robert Jenrick over his comments about the Arabic phrase, which means "God is great".

He told Sky News: "I think the suggestion of wholesale criminalisation of the words Allahu Akbar is unwise and insensitive.

"Any threat in the use of these words can only ever be implied in the very rarest of circ*mstances.

"Context clearly matters hugely here."

The criticism came as Labour's Angela Rayner accused Mr Jenrick of "stirring up" the riots, which have gripped the UK over the past week, with mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers targeted in the violence.

We'll be speaking to Mel Stride just after 8am

Read more about the row below:

Counter-protesters have turned out in UK cities amid warnings of at least 100 far-right marches being planned for Wednesday night.

People were on the streets of towns and cities including Bristol, London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Brighton.

More than 6,000 specialist police had been mobilised amid fears of a repeat of the violence seen around the country over the past week.

Some businesses closed early, and others chose to board up windows ahead of an anticipated 8pm start time.

Solicitors and other agencies who work with asylum seekers had been warned they could be targeted.

But as the night progressed, it appeared the mass far-right protests had failed to materialise, with counter-demonstrators instead taking the initiative.

Read more about what happened last night below: