Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned the rioting in Southampton on Tuesday night, calling it “a time for serious work, not rage” and directly attacking Nigel Farage’s response to the murder of Henry Nowak. Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, Starmer described Farage’s call for “pure, cold rage” as “unforgivable”.
Starmer praised the dignity of Nowak’s family and said there were “serious questions to answer” about how accusations of racism influenced police thinking. He confirmed the government would support the Independent Office for Police Conduct’s investigation into the conduct of officers who handcuffed Nowak after he was fatally stabbed by Vickrum Digwa.
Eleven police officers and one police dog were injured when crowds, including far-right agitators, attacked officers during a protest over Nowak’s death and his treatment by police. Starmer said: “No matter the pain we feel, there is no justification for more violence and disorder.”
Farage had claimed “two-tier policing” was behind public anger, but Starmer countered by quoting Nowak’s father, who urged against using the death to provoke division. “Exploiting this tragedy to create grievance and division would be wrong in any circumstances,” Starmer said, “but to do it when the family are expressly saying please don’t is unforgivable.”
Policing Minister Sarah Jones also condemned the violence and said anti-discrimination guidance that suggests treating black and white suspects differently “gives the wrong impression”. The National Police Chiefs’ Council has announced a review of the guidance.
