Riots: There must be no return to the anti-asylum agenda which panders to racism and the far right
The scenes of rioting and violence around the country - youths attacking police, trying to break into hotels housing asylum seekers, smashing the windows of people's houses and setting cars and buildings on fire - are disgraceful and disturbing.
Urban disorder is not unknown on hot summer days and sometimes spreads in copycat style from one city to another. But there is no excuse or justification for the marauding gangs and far-right thuggery, as Keir Starmer called it, which appears to be targeted at refugees and asylum seekers.
It all started after the tragic deaths of three children in Southport, brutally murdered at a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance class on Monday last week. False information was spread on social media, suggesting the perpetrator was a Muslim asylum seeker who had come to this country on a small boat. None of this was true - but that didn't stop the far right. Rioters were reportedly bussed into the area, where people were still grieving, and unleashed an orgy of violence.
Tommy Robinson, former leader of the English Defence League, is said to have been posting false claims about incidents elsewhere while sunning himself at a five-star resort in Cyprus.
And Reform UK leader Nigel Farage - now an MP - tweeted irresponsible comments about the Southport murders, which only served to fuel the disorder, questioning "whether the truth is being withheld from us". Meanwhile he failed to show up in parliament, where he could have asked serious questions.
The Prime Minister has been unequivocal and forthright in his condemnation of the rioting and making clear those involved will be made to feel the full force of the law.
He warned them: "I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder whether directly or those whipping up this action online and then running away themselves. This is not protest. It is organised, violent thuggery and it has no place on our streets or online."
Sir Keir's background as Director of Public Prosecutions - and his involvement in the response to the 2011 riots - give extra weight and force to his comments.
His uncompromising stance also suggests he will resist any temptation to allow the violence and disorder to influence policy. Commendably, one of the first acts of the new government was to scrap the Tories’ Rwanda plan. There must be no return to the anti-asylum, anti-human rights agenda which panders to racism and the far right.