As the country saw more violent riots last night, Tory leadership hopefuls have taken to the airwaves to condemn, er, Nigel Farage. The Reform UK leader posted a letter to Twitter on Monday morning on the weekend’s disorder, hitting out at ‘the impression of two-tier policing’ in the UK. Farage pointed to differences in the ‘soft’ police response to Black Lives Matter protestors in 2020 compared with how forces had handled rioters.
The MP for Clacton concluded:
We must have a more honest debate about these vital issues [like immigration] and give people the confidence that there are political solutions that are relevant to them. A recall of parliament would be an appropriate start to this.
Despite calls from Labour, Tory and Reform MPs for the Commons to sit, Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesperson told reporters that the matter of recalling parliament was not discussed at the Prime Minister’s emergency Cobra meeting on Monday. How curious. But that wasn’t the only part of Farage’s letter that ruffled feathers. Over a series of broadcast interviews, three of the six Conservative leadership hopefuls have also slammed the Clacton MP’s contribution.
‘There’s a clear difference between effectively blocking streets, or roads being closed,’ Dame Priti Patel said about the BLM protests on Times Radio, ‘to burning down libraries, hotels, food banks and attacking places of worship.’ Meanwhile on the BBC, ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick advised: ‘I don’t follow all the comments Nigel Farage says but I don’t think any of us should be doing anything to make the job of the police more difficult at this time.’ And Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly added on LBC: ‘Politicians have to be thoughtful about the language they use. Particularly when arson is happening, lives genuinely at risk… Your job is not to get clicks and likes on social media.’ Ouch.
In an attempt to dissuade those taking to the streets, the Home Office has now taken to social media to post a warning that rioters could end up with jail sentences of ‘up to 10 years’. Crikey. While it may convince people not to turn up to further violent demonstrations, already social media users are rather sceptical about why, in the past, other groups weren’t issued with this same guidance. And as the Home Office refuses to comment on criticism of Jess Phillip’s Birmingham disorder tweet, frustration at the department only continues to rise. Sir Keir better get on top of this, and quick…
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