Starmer vows no let-up as police sense 'turning point'

Sir Keir Starmer has told far-right thugs that there will be no letup in bringing them to justice, as he held his third emergency Cobra meeting in a week amid concerns there could be a new wave of violence this weekend.

- DAVID MADDOX, AMY-CLARE MARTIN

It is understood he told the meeting yesterday evening that police need to remain on "high alert” so they are prepared for any possible further unrest in the coming days.

His warning came as police chiefs said they believe there has been a “turning point” in the rioting that has scarred Britain’s streets, after a show of mass unity by anti-racist protesters appeared to see off the threat of attacks on asylum centres and rights lawyers.

More rioters were jailed yesterday, including a couple in Hartlepool who joined a mob after a day playing bingo, and a 69-year-old retired welder in Liverpool who set fire to bins and threw missiles at police.

A “standing army” of around 6,000 police officers is ready to tackle any further riots, and officers have carried out a dawn raid on an alleged organiser of the far-right violence.

During a visit to a mosque in Solihull, the prime minister told broadcasters: “We were able to demonstrate the criminal justice system working speedily, so yesterday we saw the sentencing of individuals who had been involved in disorder days ago, some of them getting sentences as long as three years. That sent a very powerful message.” He said that it was “important that we don’t let up here”.