Keir Starmer condemns 'violent thuggery' that erupted in England following Southport murders

In his keynote speech at the Labour conference, the Prime Minister warned those who caused disorder: "The country sees you and it rejects you"

Keir Starmer has condemned the "violent thuggery" that erupted in parts of England and Northern Ireland following the murders of three children in Southport.

He warned those who took part in the disorder, or who had later attempted to justify such action: "The country sees you and it rejects you".

The violence was fuelled by misinformation online, the far-right and anti-immigration sentiment.

Speaking at the Labour conference in Liverpool, Starmer said: "Whatever anyone thinks about immigration, I will never accept the argument made not just by the usual suspects.

"Also by people who should have known better, who said that millions of people concerned about immigration are one and the same thing as the people who smashed up businesses, who targeted mosques, attempted to burn refugees, scrawled racist graffiti over walls, Nazi salutes at the Cenotaph, attacked NHS nurses and told people with different coloured skin, people who contribute here, people who grew up here, that they should ‘go home’.

"No, people concerned about immigration were not doing that because they understand that this country, this democratic country, is built on the rule of law, the ballot box, the common understanding that we debate our differences.

"We do not settle them with violent thuggery, and that racism is vile, so to those of you who equivocate about this, I simply say: the country sees you and it rejects you."

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the stabbings in the Merseyside town of Southport in July.

Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, from the Lancashire village of Banks, was arrested and charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.

The tragedy in Southport saw an outbreak of rioting in several towns and cities in early August.

More than 470 people have been charged since the disorder took place.

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