Keir Starmer did not specifically address allegations of pro-Palestinian violence (Image: Getty)
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper refused to specifically condemn the acts of violence in Birmingham as the debate over the alleged two-tier police system continues.
Express.co.uk contacted Number 10 and the Home Office this morning to ask whether the two leaders would specifically condemn the scenes in Birmingham yesterday, when a mob of men waving Palestinian flags were filmed attacking a lone man outside a pub and surrounding a car whose window had been smashed.
There were similar scenes in Middlesbrough on Sunday, when groups of men beat a man to the ground with sticks and others were seen with machetes in the streets.
Sir Keir and Ms Cooper rightly condemned the atrocious acts of violence carried out by far-right thugs in cities across the country over the past nine days, when mosques and asylum accommodation were targeted.
Express.co.uk has asked both leading politicians for comment on yesterday’s events in Birmingham earlier today.
The Home Office, speaking on behalf of Mrs Cooper, referred us to Number 10, which promised to get a response from the Prime Minister.
However, we were later referred to comments made by Mr Starmer during a Cabinet meeting today, which did not mention Birmingham and did not answer our questions.
He said: “When I went to Southport I spoke to police who described what it was like to watch the mass stabbing of young girls and then the next day go back to work in riot gear and be hit with bricks.
“This is something no one would ever want to see and we need to call it out for what it is. It is not protest. It is violent disorder and it needs to be treated as such, as criminal activity.
“99.9 per cent of people across the country want their streets to be safe and to feel safe in their communities, and we will take whatever action is necessary to stamp out disorder.”
Pro-Palestine supporters outside Birmingham pub (Image: X)
Number 10 also said the Prime Minister said we must and will show those involved – in person and online – that they will feel the full force of the law and be subject to swift justice. The Prime Minister also spoke of the standing army of special duty officers who are ready to be deployed across the country to deal with any emerging disorder.
The Home Secretary gave an update on the latest situation and the current operational response, condemning the disgraceful scenes of crime and violence at locations including Liverpool Children’s Library, mosques, supermarkets and hotels housing asylum seekers.
The Home Secretary spoke about progress under the new National Violent Disorders Program in bringing together the best law enforcement capabilities from across the country to share information about violent group activity so authorities can act quickly to arrest them.
They did not address the incident in Birmingham on Monday.
Birmingham: Man attacked by masked thugs in Yardley pub
Express.co.uk provided another opportunity for both to comment on the scenes.
Yesterday, Mr Starmer addressed allegations of two-tier policing in a broadcast after Reform UK leader MP Nigel Farage suggested that last week’s riots were treated more harshly than other recent protests and unrest.
The Prime Minister categorically denied Mr Farage’s allegations, saying they were “a frivolous issue” and insisted policing was carried out “without fear or favour”.
The events came after a week of violence across the country in protests organized by far-right and anti-immigration groups.
Mr Starmer said: “There is no two-tier policing, there is policing without fear or favour, exactly as it should be, exactly what I would expect and demand. So that is not a problem.
“The focus here is not on the apparent motivation of anyone involved in this. This is not protest, this is violence. This is violence on our streets, being inflicted and targeted on communities and we will not tolerate that in this country.”
After we gave them a further chance to comment specifically on Birmingham, none was given, but a Number 10 spokesman insisted that as Mr Starmer had referred to the “apparent motivation of anyone involved” it meant he was referring to anyone and not just one group.
Man attacked outside bar (left) and car surrounded (Image: X)
Disturbances in Hartlepool intensified on Wednesday night, along with those in London and Manchester, while another took place in Sunderland on Friday night.
The unrest began in Southport on Tuesday following the shocking knife murders of three girls, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6, a day earlier.
Eight other children and two adults were seriously injured in the attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the city.
The events came after a week of violence across the country in protests organized by far-right and anti-immigration groups.
Axel Rudakubana, 17, who was born in Cardiff, Wales, to Rwandan parents, has been charged with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder.