A minister has just dubbed MP and Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage a “commentator” and called out his absence from parliament.
The populist figure released a video on social media last night, responding to Keir Starmer’s new national violent disorder unit meant to crack down on the riots seen this week.
The unrest, mainly driven by the far-right and social media disinformation, began after a knife attack in Southport on Monday where three young girls were killed.
Axel Rudakubana, 17, has now been charged with murdering Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, along with 10 counts of attempted murder.
But Farage still claimed that the protests from the last week were a sign of wider “societal decline” rather than a result of far-right uproar.
“Law and order on our streets in breaking down. This prime minister hasn’t got an earthly clue,” he said, calling for more stop and search to prevent the unrest worsening in the coming weeks.
Asked for his response to the Reform MP’s claims on LBC, home office minister Lord David Hanson said: “Mr Farage is a member of parliament but he is mostly a commentator.
“And we are a government, we have to take action.”
The minister said Labour would take action to support the local communities and impacted families, to prevent violence and to help community cohesion.
“Do you think part of it speaks to society’s decline?” LBC host Nick Ferrari asked.
Hanson said no, there are “genuine issues” of concern around migration and which are available for peaceful protest.
He added: “Mr Farage, if he wants, can turn up at the House of Commons – he didn’t on Tuesday, Monday – and ask the home secretary questions.
“He’s a commentator – if he wants to commentate, do it in the House of Commons, do it legitimately.”
Farage released another video earlier this week, baselessly suggesting that police were concealing information from the Southport attack – a claim which sparked widespread backlash.
But Hanson’s boss, Starmer, still refused to target the MP when asked by journalists on Thursday.
He said: “I’m not going to stand here and cast judgment on what others have been saying.”
But, when questioned again, he added: “Anybody who says or does anything that impedes [families of the victims’] ability to get the justice that they deserve, cannot claim to be acting in their best interests.”