'It's a crime': Keir Starmer resolves to crack down on riots as he announces new plan to end violent disorder

Sir Keir Starmer condemned a "tiny, mindless minority in society", whom he labelled "a gang of thugs, coordinated... and bent on violence" after the riots, adding that the Southport community "had to suffer twice" following the stabbings.

The PM blasted the "far-right" for "showing who they are" by attacking mosques - and vowed that "we have to show who we are in response to that".

He continued: "Mosques targeted because they’re mosques, flares thrown at the statue of Winston Churchill, a Nazi salute at the Cenotaph.

"And so I've just held a meeting with senior police and law enforcement leaders, where we resolved to show who we are: A country that will not allow understandable fear, to curdle into division and hate in our communities and that will not permit under any circumstances, a breakdown in law and order on our streets.

"Because - let's be very clear about this - it's not protest. It's not legitimate. It's crime - violent disorder. An assault on the rule of law and the execution of justice.

Speaking on Liverpool Crown Court's decision to name the suspect in the stabbing, 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, Starmer said: "I remind everyone that the price for a trial that is prejudiced is ultimately paid by the victims and their families, who are deprived of the justice that they deserve."

MORE AS VIOLENCE ROCKS BRITAIN:

• Russian-linked fake news website fuelled lies about Southport stabbings suspect sparking violent protests across Britain
  
• 'I'm just asking questions!' Nigel Farage wonders 'whether truth is being withheld from us' after Southport stabbings
  
• 'You have an influence!' Tobias Elwood in FURIOUS row with Nigel Farage over response to Southport stabbings - 'Put the country's interest first!'
  

Referencing the Southport attack, the PM vowed: "There will be a time for questions and we will make sure that the victims and families are at the heart of that process."

Starmer also called out social media firms for their role in "whipping up" disorder, saying: "Violent disorder, clearly whipped up online... is also a crime. It's happening on your premises, and the law must be upheld everywhere."

As he mentioned, the PM had met with police chiefs from across the country earlier today and told them: "I wanted to send a message to each of you and, through you, your officers to say that this Government supports the police, supports what you are doing, and to be absolutely clear: This is not protest, this is violent disorder and action will be taken.

"This Government will make sure you have got the powers you need and will back you in using those powers."

But Starmer also laid some blame at his predecessors in Government, saying: "What has not worked well recently with the previous Government, in my view, is the performative politics of a Government blaming everybody else and pointing fingers. That approach to me is not effective.

"My approach is different, which is to roll my sleeves up, get the relevant people around the table and fix the problems, and meet the challenges that we have as a country."

In terms of the details of any kind of "national capability", the PM said he would like to see "more use" of criminal behaviour orders to give police greater power to "put their arms around and have a tighter grip on those that have already shown their true colours".

He continued: "I would personally like to see more use of those orders in the same way that they're used in football hooligan cases to stop people travelling, identify and prevent their patterns of behaviour because these are not people going to protest.

"You don't go to a protest with a rock in your hand. You go to commit violent disorder and we need to be really clear about that and I think those orders would help us in the preventative space."