Boris Johnson has said "nothing excuses" Sir Keir Starmer's failure to understand public concern on immigration as he branded the Government "deaf" to the issues that have led to riots.
The former prime minister took aim at the Labour leader as he criticised Starmer's handing of the anti-immigration protests that have spread across Britain since three young girls were killed in Southport last week.
Johnson was critical of those who had turned to rioting and looting but said Labour was failing to tackle the issues which had led to rallies in the first place.
The ex-Tory leader highlighted that Starmer had been swift to end the Rwanda deportation scheme and to scrap the use of the Bibby Stockholm for housing migrants who enter the UK illegally.
Johnson wrote: "Whatever you may have intended by all this, you gave the clear impression of a man who has no plan to stop illegal immigration because he simply doesn’t care.
“Nothing excuses the behaviour of the rioters, and they deserve to be banged up.
Boris Johnson criticised Sir Keir Starmer's response to anti-immigration protestsPA“But nothing excuses a government that seems deaf to public concerns, and that suggests, moreover, that they actively dislike all members of the public who share those concerns.”
Polling indicates that while the UK public is overwhelmingly against those rioting, 34 per cent have sympathy with those peacefully demonstrating their concerns with immigration.
“It is time to reflect, PM, as you sip on your sundowner, on whether you struck exactly the right note on illegal immigration," Johnson wrote in his Daily Mail column.
“Have some guts, face down your critics, and acquire the perspective that comes with distance and a kilo of retsina.
"Go now, and don’t come back till you have bucked up your ideas.”
His comments were made after the Prime Minister referred to those on the streets as "far right thugs".
Anti-immigration protests have turned violent over the past 10 days
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Rioters have targeted hotels housing migrants to express their anger
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The Prime Minister said last week that the police had his “full support” to take action against “extremists” attempting to “sow hate” by intimidating communities.
In a televised address to the nation last weekend he said: "People in this country have a right to be safe, and yet we've seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques.
"Other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric, so no, I won't shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery."
Some 741 people have now been arrested, of which 302 have been charged, over rioting in parts of the country over the past 10 days.
Sir Keir Starmer yesterday urged the police to remain on 'high alert' this weekend
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While the violence has subsided in recent days, yesterday Starmer said the police should remain on “high alert” this weekend.
During a visit to the Metropolitan Police’s special operations room in Lambeth on Friday, the Prime Minister told broadcasters: “My message to the police and all of those that are charged with responding to disorder is maintain that high alert.
“I’m absolutely convinced that having the police officers in place these last few days, and the swift justice that has been dispensed in our courts have had a real impact.
“But we have to stay on high alert going into this weekend because we absolutely have to make sure that our communities are safe and secure and feel safe and secure.”