Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has hit out at the findings of a report into the summer riots sparked by the Southport attack - declaring he does "not accept" there was "no evidence" of "two-tier policing".
The report, released by the Home Affairs Committee, details a probe into the police forces' response to the disorder in the wake of the murder of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last July.
The report concluded that those participating in disorder "were not policed more strongly" because of their "supposed political views", but because they were "throwing missiles, assaulting police officers and committing arson".
Hitting out at the report, Farage told media that there is a "strong feeling" in Britain of "not only two-tier policing", but "two-tier justice" as well.
Nigel Farage has torn apart the findings of the report on the UK riots following the Southport attack
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Farage fumed: "I do not accept the findings of the report whatsoever. Not just two-tier policing, but two-tier justice as well.
"There are people who said very unpleasant things in the heat of the moment on Facebook going to prison very, very quickly - others on the other side of the argument, shall we say, not being treated in the same way."
Highlighting the fallout of the Manchester Airport altercation with police, Farage added that there is "still a strong feeling" of two-tier policing, and he is "not convinced" by the findings of the report.
Farage stated: "Just think, a few weeks before we had the Manchester Airport attacks and those prosecutions took many, many months to come through.
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Dame Karen Bradley's Committee's report said there was no evidence of 'two-tier policing' in officers' handling of the levels of violence
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"I promise you, there is a strong feeling and perception of two-tier policing and two-tier justice in this country, and nothing this report says convinces me."
Asked by the media if he would "thank the police" who faced the violence of the riots last summer, the Reform UK leader affirmed that it was "deeply unpleasant" for the officers to experience the unrest, with many "left injured" by the demonstrations.
Farage declared: "Of course, I thank the police for the work that they did during the riots, and they had a very, very hard time.
"Many of them were injured, and it was deeply, deeply unpleasant."
Farage claimed there is a 'strong feeling of two-tier policing and two-tier justice' in Britain
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However, Farage made clear that the riots were sparked because of a "vacuum" of information regarding the Southport attack, identified later as Axel Rudakubana.
Farage concluded: "This happened because there was a vacuum. It happened because we were not told the truth about the identity of the attacker.
"I made a plea 24 hours after those horrendous murders and said, for goodness sake, tell us who it is. Tell us the truth.
"And I think that's the big lesson that ought to be learned from this."
