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October 30, 2024 - 1:40pm
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has today warned Conservative leadership candidates Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick not to undermine the police when it comes to information surrounding the Southport stabbing case.
Responding to a question from Reform UK MP Richard Tice at the pre-Budget Prime Minister’s Questions about whether withholding information in terror-related incidents creates an “information gap”, Starmer appeared to disagree. The Labour leader said he would “tread carefully” in answering, but then turned the focus to the Tory leadership hopefuls. “They can either support the police in their difficult task or they can undermine the police in their difficult task,” he said. “I know what side I’m on.”
At the start of the session, Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle blocked MPs from asking explicit questions about the case. “It is of paramount importance that nothing is said in this House that could prejudice a proper trial,” he said. “At the heart of this case are three young girls.”
These comments come just a day after it was revealed that Axel Rudakubana, the 18-year-old accused of murdering three girls at a dance class in Southport, was in possession of an al-Qaeda manual. The stabbing, which occurred on 29 July and was described by Merseyside Police as “not believed to be terror-related”, precipitated large-scale riots less than a month into Labour’s term.
Shortly after the killings, rumours spread on social media that the perpetrator was a recent Muslim immigrant to the country named “Ali al-Shakati”. In fact, Rudakubana was born to Rwandan parents in Cardiff. As a result, the riots were blamed on the spreading of false information.
The release of information that Rudakubana was in possession of terror-related material and had produced the poison ricin comes amid reports that the Government had been aware of this some weeks ago but did not report it until the day before the Budget. The timing of this announcement has led to accusations that Number 10 was attempting to bury the news that might lead to more civil unrest. Rudakubana appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday via videolink from Belmarsh Prison after being charged with terror offences in addition to three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.
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SubscribeSo, if the guy is an Islamist terrorist, you pretty much have to free everyone who was jailed for spreading “false information”, no? Because it wasn’t false.
Also, shouldn’t the police be undermined when they do the wrong thing? Where in British law does it say the Police Force’s job is to protect Islam from criticism?
They discovered ricin in his house.
It does not take 3 months to search a house after a murder and discover deadly poison.
The forensic people would have found that ricin very quickly after the attack.
But that information was kept from the public,
It’s not undermining the police to ask uncomfortable questions when the facts have become clear – it’s absolutely necessary. Badenoch is right.
By giving the Tories such a warning, Starmer further undermines his own authority – or what’s left of it. Saw his popularity ratings this morning, ouch!
I think people have seen what Starmer means by “supporting the police.” It is situational support that has nothing to do with law enforcement principles and everything to do with the principals who are involved. This is the guy on whose watch cops are arresting people for social media posts.
Oh so it was okay because they were actively withholding false information but it was for our own good because we just couldn’t be trusted with the real information.
Wait a minute I’ve seen this nonsense before during COVID. Well I feel glad for one that the government has decided what information I should and should not be allowed or be in possession of like a watchful family member. I’m glad the government disciplined and jailed those people for misinformation who said it was terror related, even though it was they shouldn’t have been allowed to say it, after all the state has decided they shouldn’t.
I love the government decideding what I shouldn’t and shouldn’t know what I should and shouldn’t do, it makes me feel like they are watching over me and taking care of me like a Big Brother.