‘Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s defiant message to rioters on visit to West Midlands mosque and school
Sir Keir Starmer has sent an important message to rioters during a visit to the West Midlands this morning.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The Prime Minister announced he will chair another Cobra meeting with law enforcement officials over the concerns of further riots this afternoon during his trip to a mosque and Arden Academy in Solihull where he also held a round table discussion with Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood, who is also MP for Birmingham Ladywood, and West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker.
Members of the muslim community and Met Police officers who attended recent disorder were also present.
Sir Keir said: “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.”
‘Don’t let up’
On announcing another Cobra meeting - the means by which the government makes high-level decision making when an emergency situation arrives - he added: “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.”
It will be the third COBRA meeting in the last week. It follows the failure of threats of further disorder materialising on Wednesday evening.
Police had expected more than 100 events on Wednesday night, with 30 counter-demonstrations planned.
Shops were boarded up in Birmingham and other cities and towns and cities over fears of rioting after a week of violent disorder which started in Southport, Merseyside, on July 30.
