Sir Keir Starmer will meet the family of murdered student Henry Nowak in a private meeting at Downing Street on Thursday afternoon, No 10 has confirmed. The 18-year-old was fatally stabbed in Southampton last year, and his treatment by police has sparked a political controversy.
The Prime Minister urged politicians to heed the family's calls not to use the case 'to cause disturbances', as he accused Elon Musk of trying to 'whip up division' in the UK over the murder. Musk has posted repeatedly on X about the police response, offering to fund a private prosecution of Hampshire Constabulary.
Violent protests erupted near the scene of the stabbing after killer Vickrum Digwa claimed he was the victim of a racial attack. Mr Nowak was handcuffed by police who ignored his pleas that he could not breathe as he lay dying. Digwa was given a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years for using a ceremonial Sikh knife with a 21cm blade.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch met Mr Nowak's family on Thursday morning and stressed they 'do not want anger to tear communities apart'. She called for cross-party work to rebuild trust in the police and for an examination of religious exemptions that permit carrying dangerous weapons in public.
Badenoch also criticised Nigel Farage for 'whipping people up', but declined to condemn Musk as Starmer had, saying: 'I don't know what Elon Musk is doing. But Elon Musk does not live in this country.' Business Secretary Peter Kyle backed Starmer's stance, saying Musk had 'become extreme in his personal views'.
