Keir Starmer confirms new violent disorder unit after ‘thugs’ rioted in wake of Southport attack – live | Politics

Keir Starmer said the government has “already made a commitment to increasing police numbers” after he was asked if his announcement will increase the number of officers on the streets.

Put to him that the new Labour MP in Hartlepool said Cleveland police were “simply overwhelmed”, and asked if the announcement would increase the number of police officers on the street, Starmer said:

Well, we’ve already made a commitment to increasing police numbers. That’s a commitment we made into the general election, and particularly police officers to work in neighbourhood policing.

That did come up in the meeting today in terms of the capability that’s needed, but, look, to be frank, what happens in the next few weeks matters, and that isn’t a question on its own of recruitment, which takes longer, it is a question of coordinating the response, making sure the capability that we’ve got to share intelligence, shared data, have a coordinated response, and to act as quickly as possible in cases so that arrests are followed swiftly by charging.”

Asked if he will be providing extra police resources and preparing “any clampdown on the far-right groups that are being blamed for this”, Starmer replied:

In relation to the violence that we’ve seen, the whole point on pulling together the meeting today was to have a coordinated response.

The clear message from police and law enforcement is not that they need more powers – I think we have to wean ourselves off the idea that the only response is to pass more legislation every time we have a challenge in front of us – is to use the existing powers that we’ve got.

Pulling together the intelligence, the data, making sure that that is being shared across police forces, and that as these groups sort of bounce from chief constable to chief constable around the country, we have the same robust response to them. And that we’re clear that this is violent disorder. It’s not protest, and that needs to be the starting position of the police in response to it.”

Starmer added that “there’s a balance to be struck” with social media platforms in efforts to tackle misinformation online.

He said:

Inciting violence online is a criminal offence and that is not a matter of free speech. It is a criminal offence.

Clearly, in relation to platform providers, there’s a balance to be struck. Social media platform providers, it’s an amazing opportunity that we all enjoy as a country that is very important to us that these platforms are there to be used for the great opportunities that they provide.

There is also a responsibility that goes with it. That’s a space for a mature conversation to take place.”

The prime minister was also asked about the comments from Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, where he insinuated the truth was being held from the public in relation to the identity of the attacker in Southport.

Starmer replied:

In relation to the comments of others, look, I’m not going to stand here and cast judgment on what others are saying.

I know what I’m saying and I know why I’m saying it very, very clearly, which is my focus whenever I’m confronted with any questions about this is on the families and victims of those, particularly in Southport who were so affected by this.”

Keir Starmer has said the government “blaming everybody else and pointing fingers” does not work well when asked what consequences there would be for social media firms who fail to take action over misinformation.

The prime minister said “there is a discussion to be had” about companies striking the “right balance”, warning social media “carries responsibility”, but suggested he wanted to “work together” to keep the country safe.

He added:

What has not worked well recently with the previous government, in my view, is the performative politics of a government blaming everybody else and pointing fingers. That approach to me is not effective.

My approach is different, which is to roll my sleeves up, get the relevant people around the table and fix the problems, and meet the challenges that we have as a country.

We did that with law enforcement and police this afternoon – similar approach with social media, which is not performative politics which gets us nowhere, but the politics of service, which is to actually work together to address the challenges that we have and make sure that we keep the country safe and respect the values of our fellow citizens, which are about law enforcement, security and safety.”

Speaking during a press conference held after a meeting with senior police leaders, Keir Starmer thanked police officers who “stood up to intimidation and violence”.

He said the meeting was held to “pull together our response, response both to the immediate challenge which is clearly driven by far-right hatred, but also all violent disorder that flares up whatever the apparent cause or motivation”.

Starmer added:

We make no distinction. Crime is crime. And so, to that end, I can announce today that, following this meeting, we will establish a national capability across police forces to tackle violent disorder.

These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community. We must have a policing response that can do the same. Shared intelligence, wider deployment of facial recognition technology and preventive action, criminal behaviour orders to restrict their movements, before they can even board a train. In just the same way that we do with football hooligans.

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.

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

Starmer has said he would like to see greater use of criminal behaviour orders, such as those used in football hooliganism cases, to crackdown on organised riots.

Asked about the disparities in number of arrests between the riots in Southport and London, Starmer said:

I don’t think you’d simply measure the number of arrests and say there’s an inconsistency because that will depend event by event.”

He added:

In relation to preventive measures. One of the issues that came out this afternoon was criminal behaviour orders which can be attached to convictions for these sorts of offences, which then give the police and the authorities the ability to put their arms around and have a tighter grip on those that have already shown their true colours, have been convicted.

And I would personally like to see more use of those orders in the same way that they’re used in football hooligan cases to stop people travelling, identify and prevent their patterns of behaviour, because these are not people going to protest.

You don’t go to a protest with a rock in your hand. You go to commit violent disorder and we need to be really clear about that and I think those orders would help us in the preventive space.”

Keir Starmer said “nobody but nobody” involved in rioting should “pretend they are speaking” for the grieving families as he warned:

The far right are showing who they are – we have to show who we are in response to that.”

The prime minister said:

Nobody but nobody should pretend that they are speaking for those families when they involve themselves in activity like this.”

He added:

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.”

Keir Starmer will take “every step” necessary to keep Muslim communities safe, the prime minister said at a press conference on Thursday after the announcement of a new police unit as far-right violent sparks across the country.

“I will take every step that is necessary to keep you safe,” said Starmer, responding to ITV journalist, Shehab Khan’s question of what the government’s message is to those in the community feeling unsafe in light of the rise in violence.

“The far right is showing who they are, we have to show who we are in response to that,” he said, adding that the new police taskforce in order to “ensure safety for all citizens”.

The statement comes after the Muslim Council of Britain on Thursday urged mosques to strengthen security measures ahead of Friday prayers, and called on the government to offer support to Muslim communities and tackle the rise of Islamophobia.

Also during the press conference, Starmer warned large social media companies that “violent disorder clearly whipped up online is also a crime and it is happening on your premises”.

He added: “We will take all necessary action to keep our streets safe”.

Keir Starmer has said the riots in reaction to the stabbings in Southport are “not protest” and “not legitimate” as he vowed not to permit a “breakdown of law and order”.

The prime minister said:

Make no mistake, whether it’s in Southport, London or Hartlepool these people are showing our country exactly who they are.

Mosques targeted because they’re mosques, flares thrown at the statue of Winston Churchill, a Nazi salute at the Cenotaph.

And so I’ve just held a meeting with senior police and law enforcement leaders, where we resolved to show who we are. A country that will not allow understandable fear, to curdle into division and hate in our communities and that will not permit under any circumstances, a breakdown in law and order on our streets.

Because let’s be very clear about this. It’s not protest. It’s not legitimate. It’s crime. Violent disorder. An assault on the rule of law and the execution of justice.

And so on behalf of the British people who expect their values and their security to be upheld. We will put a stop to it.”

Prime minister Keir Starmer has announced a new “capability” across police forces to combat the violent disorder seen in parts of England and called those behind it a “tiny, mindless minority in our society”.

At a press conference in Downing Street, the prime minister said “fear is an understandable reaction” to the attack, but called on everyone to give families the space to grieve and authorities time to do their job.

“There will be a time for questions and we will make sure that the victims and families are at the heart of that process,” he said.

Starmer said:

That’s the very least that we owe these families. But we also owe them justice. So, while there’s a prosecution that must not be prejudiced, for them to receive the justice that they deserve the time for answering those questions is not now.

I remind everyone that the price for a trial that is prejudiced is ultimately paid by the victims and their families, who are deprived of the justice that they deserve.

Let me now turn to the actions of a tiny, mindless minority in our society, because in the aftermath attack, the community of Southport had to suffer twice.

A gang of thugs got on trains and buses, went to a community that is not their own, a community grieving the most horrific tragedy, and then proceeded to throw bricks at police officers – police officers who just 24 hours earlier had been having to deal with an attack on children in their community.”

Prime minister Keir Starmer said the “actions of a tiny, mindless minority in our society” has meant that the community of Southport have had to “suffer twice”.

Speaking during a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Starmer said that the meeting earlier at Number 10 Downing Street with police leaders, the home secretary and justice secretary, was “not about pointing the finger of blame”.

Instead, he said, it was to “pull together our reponse … both to the immediate challenge, which is clearly driven by far-right hatred, but also all violent disorder that flares up, whatever the cause or motivation.”

Keir Starmer will hold a press conference at 4pm today after his earlier meeting with senior police leaders.

The prime minister will speak about the gathering with policing leaders and take questions from the media, after scenes of violent unrest.

You can follow via the live stream here:

Far-right riots: Starmer to announce setting up of new violent disorder unit

Vikram Dodd

A new national violent disorder unit is to be set up to clamp down on rioters, the Guardian has learned, in the wake of far-right riots this week.

Keir Starmer is expected to make the official announcement as soon as Thursday, having agreed it with police chiefs at a crisis meeting.

The unit will aim to boost intelligence gathering and sharing on looming trouble and comes after police were surprised by the scale of disorder on Tuesday in Southport, with further disorder in London and Hartlepool on Wednesday.

The unit is intended to improve the gathering and sharing of intelligence on known “extremist troublemakers” from all parts of the ideological spectrum. It is also hoped to boost sharing of community tension indicators and the coordination of mutual aid, where specially riot trained officers are rushed from one area to another.

It is hoped that by boosting the number of specialist public order officers who can be rushed into an area of trouble, the number of arrests when violence breaks out can be increased.

The new unit will sit with the National Police Operations centre, which itself is part of the National Police Chiefs’ Council.

The plans were drafted by Downing Street and a source said police chiefs meeting Starmer in Downing Street on Thursday were in broad agreement.

The financing and details of the new unit will have to be ironed out.

You can read the full piece here:

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said he has “no doubt” Glasgow will reject the far right ahead of a planned protest, reports the PA news agency.

A “pro-UK rally” has been planned for the city’s George Square on 7 September, with English Defence League (EDL) founder Tommy Robinson – whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – promoting the event on social media.

Plans for the rally come after violence in Southport, Merseyside, this week after the killings of three young girls in a knife attack.

Police say the scenes were sparked by supporters of the far right, claiming those present backed the EDL.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Sarwar said the “single most important issue” was to support the families of the children who were killed and the wider community of Southport.

Sarwar said:

I’m a son of Glasgow, I was born in Glasgow – Glasgow is my city.

I know as a Glaswegian, that we have always had a view – we can’t be complacent, we can’t pretend that there aren’t issues here – but we’ve always been a city that regardless where you come from, regardless of where you were born, when you come here you’re one of us and we’re one Glasgow.

There have been attempts by the far right before to do protests here or to sow divisions here. Every single time the far right has tried to do that in Glasgow, Glasgow has overwhelmingly rejected them. I have no doubt Glasgow will do that again if this happens.”

Sarwar was joined by Glasgow city council leader Susan Aitken, who wrote on social media:

Glasgow city council has received no notification of any rally but then we know Tommy Robinson and his ilk don’t really care about respecting laws or public places. He’s not welcome in Glasgow, and neither is anyone who chooses to align with his poisonous rhetoric.”

Sarwar went on to call on social media firms to do more, saying the far right is “recruiting, organising, amplifying, fundraising online”. He added: “All of that can stop if the social media platforms take the appropriate action.”