Keir Starmer to tackle 'violent disorder' in wake of Southport stabbings

The Prime Minister told a meeting with senior officers that police have his full support following unrest after the Southport stabbings.

Sir Keir Starmer has said “action will be taken” following “violent disorder” in parts of England in the wake of the Southport stabbings.

The Prime Minister summoned police chiefs to Downing Street on Thursday afternoon following scenes of violent unrest in London, Hartlepool and Manchester overnight, while a demonstration in Aldershot saw a tense stand-off with riot police.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

“I wanted to send a message to each of you and, through you, your officers to say that this Government supports the police, supports what you are doing, and to be absolutely clear: This is not protest, this is violent disorder and action will be taken.

“This Government will make sure you have got the powers you need and will back you in using those powers.”

A police van set alight as trouble flares during a protest in Southport. Credit: Pat Hurst/PA

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood also attended the meeting with at least a dozen police bosses.

Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy told the meeting by video link that the force is “determined to get justice” for the deadly attack on Monday, and to identify all those who took part in rioting on Tuesday in the seaside town.

In London, more than 100 people were arrested after protesters in Whitehall launched beer cans and glass bottles at police and threw flares at the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.

Demonstrators wearing England flags and waving banners saying “enough is enough” and “stop the boats” had congregated outside Downing Street in the wake of the killing of three young girls in the Southport knife attack, which social media posts had wrongly claimed was carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker who crossed the Channel in a small boat.

The angry scenes also included loud chants of: “We want our country back” and: “Oh Tommy Robinson,” referring to the right-wing activist. One man wore a shirt with the slogan: “Nigel Farage for Prime Minister, Tommy Robinson for Home Secretary.”

The Met arrested 111 people for alleged offences including violent disorder, assaults on police officers, possession of knives and offensive weapons and breach of protest conditions.