Police warring riot protection equipment patrol the seafront esplanade following an anti immigration protest in Weymouth, Britain August 4, 2024. REUTERS
Britain is in the throes of a devastating tragedy that has segued into wider questions about perceived far-right-led violence, the role of social media and deeper anxieties about immigration. The murder of three girls and injury to 10 others during a dance class in Southport just over a week ago has left a community and a country in mourning. That grief was compounded by events that have taken place since. As rumours about the attacker cascaded online, hundreds of far-right zealots set upon the quiet coastal town, hurling bricks at the local mosque, putting vehicles on fire and assaulting the police. The ensuing violence has raised the first real test for Keir Starmer’s government. The Prime Minister needs to reassure the public with decisive action while also acknowledging that deeper issues will be assessed.
The rioting across several towns has painted a picture of havoc and dismay. In Sunderland, a citizens advice office was burnt down. In Rotherham and Hull, hotels housing asylum seekers were attacked. A library was razed in Liverpool. In Hartlepool and elsewhere, mosques were attacked. Dozens of officers have been injured and, according to the National Police Chief’s Council, more than 370 people have been arrested. The violence continued over the weekend with rioters chanting vitriolic slogans, abusing Muslims and the police and demanding a return to a mythical insularity. The scenes seemed far removed from notions of British fair-play and tolerance.
That said, the best of Britain was also on display with grief-stricken residents being vocal that the mischief-makers did not speak for them. The image of resolute Southport residents helping to recast the wall outside the mosque the day after the damage was inflicted comes to mind. Those residents embodied the true qualities of Britishness: Tolerance, empathy and decency.
What might be the root cause of the violence then? Put simply, the riots seem to be the effect of a combination of anti-immigrant far-right views mixed with falsehoods about a traumatic news event, amplified by thugs. They represent the most serious civic disorder in the UK since the riots of summer 2011. As was the case then, the police, judiciary and ministers need to ensure those responsible face the full force of the law. Starmer has called for a “standing army” of specialist police officers. He needs to explain how that would be resourced and operationalised promptly. The courts also need to be ready to deal with the volume of cases and judges prepared to hand down swift and exemplary sentences that deter others.
There are several broad aspects to consider too. First, the way that far-right elements have grown their support base online warrants attention. A false claim that the Southport perpetrator was an asylum seeker on a security watchlist was shared by Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, former English Defence League leader who uses the name Tommy Robinson, and also by Andrew Tate, the misogynist influencer. The speed with which this fake news was amplified with consequences for public safety and policing needs deeper analysis. Britain is not alone in facing such challenges. The rise of the far-right in Europe, including in France, Germany, the Netherlands and Hungary, also bears this out. We have also seen consequences in the US with the violence in Capitol Hill in 2021.
Second, politicians on the right who prefer suggestive rhetoric to thoughtful restraint can also inflame tension. In this vein, Nigel Farage, the new MP for Clacton and leader of Reform UK, may have been irresponsible when he posted a video about Southport asking “whether the truth is being withheld from us”. Words matter greatly when lives and livelihoods could be at stake.
Further, it is also clear that anxiety over immigration needs to be tackled through an open and a grown-up dialogue by mainstream parties. It should not be left to fringe elements. This is a conversation that has typically been avoided by centrist politicians. In policy terms, having shelved the Tories’ Rwanda deportation scheme, Starmer and Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, need to come up with credible plans to deter people smugglers and “take back control”. In doing so, they will need to be honest about the merits of legal migration, given an ageing population, while also balancing social cohesion and infrastructure pressures.
This has been a difficult week for the UK. The truth is the vast majority of Britons stand for tolerance and compassion. But the riots also reveal that the far-right’s influence has gained traction and it is no longer a passive bystander in British politics. Tackling their inflammatory rhetoric and acting decisively to reassure the public represent the first key challenge for the Labour government.
The writer is a London-based lawyer and political commentator
