Sir Keir Starmer will today chair another emergency Cobra meeting as he vowed to not ‘let up’ on the Government’s crackdown on far-right rioters.
The Prime Minister will hold fresh crisis talks with senior police officers this afternoon despite last night’s planned gatherings fizzling out.
Police were braced for further violence yesterday evening with more than 100 planned protests and around 30 more counter protests.
Shops were boarded up in many towns and cities amid fears of fresh mayhem in the wake of the Southport stabbing attack last Monday.
But, by 8pm, many protests did not materialise and those that did were dwarfed in size by counter-demonstrations.
An estimated 25,000 anti-racism activists turned out in force in cities across the UK.
After visiting a mosque in Solihull this morning, Sir Keir told broadcasters: ‘Now it’s important that we don’t let up here.
‘And that’s why later on today I will have another Cobra meeting with law enforcement, with senior police officers, to make sure that we reflect on last night but also plan for the coming days.’
The PM said last night was ‘much better than was expected’ after many of the planned anti-immigration protests failed to materialise.
But he added that the Government was ‘not going to give up on our efforts here’.
Sir Keir said the deployment of extra police officers and the swift sentencing of those involved in rioting had sent a ‘very powerful message’ and helped prevent further disorder.
The PM pointed to how hundreds of people had now been arrested following the violent disorder of the past 10 days, with some already sent to jail.
Asked about lessons learned from the riots crisis, Sir Keir replied: ‘The most important lesson is for those involving themselves in disorder.
‘Because what we’ve seen is that those who’ve been arrested – now numbered in their hundreds, many have been charged, some already in court, and now a number of individuals sentenced to terms of imprisonment, that is a very important message to those involved in disorder.
‘And I say it again, anybody involving themselves in disorder, whatever they claim as their motive, will feel the full force of the law.
‘It’s important I repeat that because we need to make sure that in the coming days, we can give the necessary reassurance to our communities, many of whom – I’ve been talking to some this morning – are very anxious about the situation.’
During his visit to the West Midlands, Sir Keir also held a roundtable discussion with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, West Midlands mayor Richard Parker, members of the Muslim community and police officers who attended recent disorder.
Asked whether he should engage with underlying tensions over the issue of immigration, Sir Keir said: ‘The first priority is safety and security of our communities.
‘And. yes, last night was much better than was expected, but we are not going to give up on our efforts here.
‘That’s why it’s very important that I continue my discussions, co-ordinating with law enforcement, with police leaders, to make sure we’ve got the right officers in the right place, to keep pushing on the criminal justice response.
‘I was very keen that we were able to demonstrate that if you’re involved in disorder, within days you will be in the criminal justice system and some people starting long terms of imprisonment.
‘That needs to continue, and so that is my sole focus.’