UK riots latest: PM holds emergency meeting before 'big day' with 30 protests on police radar (2024)

This evening's emergency COBRA meeting about the riots has ended in the past few minutes.

It was the second such gathering in as many days, again chaired by the prime minister as the government looks to get a grip on the crisis.

Ministers, police chiefs and other personnel involved have started departing and we should be getting an update on what was discussed a little later this evening.

People who are racist to NHS staff "can and should" be turned away from care, the health secretary has said.

Wes Streeting condemned the "mindless thuggery" of rioters after two Filipino nurses were attacked on Friday evening as they travelled to work to provide emergency cover after riots erupted in Sunderland.

Mr Streeting said the people behind the attack had "brought enormous shame on our country".

"People who are abusing NHS staff can be turned away, and should be turned away, if that is the way that they are treating our staff," he said.

"I will not tolerate, under any circ*mstances, NHS or social care staff in any health or care setting being subjected to intimidation, harassment or racist abuse."

The Royal College of Nursing said it had updated its guidance on when and how members can refuse to treat a patient in their care after Mr Streeting's remarks.

"This is the most difficult decision, and every situation and patient interaction is unique," Professor Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the RCN, said.

"I am demanding that government ensures anybody targeting our members pays a very heavy price. Hearing that nurses going to work in Sunderland came under attack is unforgivable.

"Migrant nursing staff are precious members of our communities, hardwired into the very DNA of our health and care services. Our international colleagues are welcome, valued and owed a debt of gratitude."

More than half of Britons think the Tory governments of the past 14 years bear some responsibility for the riots.

Polling by YouGov suggests 24% of people think the 2010-2024 administrations hold a "great deal of responsibility" for the unrest, and 31% reckon they hold "a fair amount".

That compares to 17% and 19% respectively for the Labour government and 16% and 17% for Sir Keir Starmer - despite Elon Musk's best efforts to attack the prime minister on social media.

Musk, who owns X, won't be pleased to know that 86% of Britons think social media has been a driving force behind the violence, beaten only by those actually taking part at 88%.

The other main contributors to the disorder, according to the public, are far right groups, news media, recent immigration policy, and English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson.

Just under half of people think Reform leader Nigel Farage bears some responsibility for what's happened, after he questioned - baselessly - whether police were hiding information about the Southport knife attack from the public.

The home secretary has told police any extra cash needed to deal with the riots will be supported by the government.

Yvette Cooper said the police have her "unwavering commitment" to do what's necessary to stop the "appalling displays of violence" we've seen.

Additional costs, including overtime pay for officers, will come via an existing Home Office grant scheme - similar to how forces adapted to the 2011 riots, when more personnel had to be deployed.

Forces have been told there are thousands of specially trained riot officers on standby to be deployed wherever they are needed across the country.

A 15-year-old boy arrived at court with his mum to admit throwing a paving slab at a member of the public during riots in Liverpool on Saturday.

He was among dozens of people appearing today, accused of offences related to UK-wide riots over the past week.

The suspects have been appearing in cities including Middlesbrough, Sheffield, Liverpool, Bristol and Leeds.

The hearings are taking place aftera first group appeared in courton Monday.

Meanwhile, a man from Leeds who posted Facebook messages about attacking a hotel where asylum seekers were staying has been convicted of stirring up racial hatred.

It's the first conviction for online posts in relation to the riots.

Read more here.

People have been urged not to attend a protest in West Bridgford tomorrow after an address posted online was revealed to belong to an elderly person.

An address for East Midlands Immigration Services was shared on social media as a potential location for the protest, but it has "no links to the business", Nottinghamshire Police said.

The force said on X: "The location has no links to the business advertised on the internet. Officers have visited the address and it is home to an elderly person with vulnerabilities.

"It has no links whatsoever to any immigration business.

"We would strongly advise that those wishing to attend any protest in this location refrain from doing so as this is an elderly person's home address. Thank you."

Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the news that children injured in the Southport attack last week have been discharged from hospital.

He thanked staff at Alder Hey Hospital in Liverpool in a post on X and sent a message to the families of the three girls killed in the stabbing attack:

Police in Liverpool have been given extra powers until tomorrow at 4am.

The Section 60 order gives officers more power to stop and search suspects.

"The extension of this Section 60 order is on the back of the mindless disorder and violence we have witnessed in Liverpool," Inspector Jack Woodward said.

"It is to prevent violence and disorder and keep the public safe, and I would ask anyone with concerns to speak to our officers."

A man has become the first suspect to be convicted of stirring up racial hatred during the riots after posting messages on Facebook about attacking a hotel housing asylum seekers.

Jordan Parlour pleaded guilty to using threatening words or behaviour to stir up racial hatred after making advocating an attack on a hotel in Leeds.

The 28-year-old has been remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing on Friday.

The hotel was forced into lockdown on Saturday because of the riots, with at least one of its windows broken during the disorder.

There was no evidence that Parlour attended the hotel.

"I want to be absolutely clear, anyone involved in inciting this thuggish behaviour will face severe consequences," Nick Price, director of legal services at the Crown Prosecution Service said.

"Parlour advocated violence through his online posts and risked the safety of those staying at the hotel.

"The CPS will continue to act swiftly and robustly regarding these cases and ensure those responsible for such deplorable criminality are brought to justice."

A 46-year-old man has been arrested after TV footage showed a suspect apparently armed with a samurai sword at a counter-protest organised by a Muslim community group in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police said the man had been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.

An assault on a drinker outside Yardley's Clumsy Swan pub in the city was being investigated, the force said.

Other inquiries were also under way into damage caused to windows at the pub, attempts to slash a tyre on a Sky News truck and damage caused to a Skoda car that was forced to drive across a grassed area after being attacked.