Lock up rioting thugs and then tackle the real problem

Days of unrest across England’s towns and cities – which have seen mosques targeted, hotels housing asylum seekers attacked, police officers injured and countless acts of vandalism by farright rioters – are forcing us to confront an ugly and hateful element in our country.

- LUKE TRYL

What should have been a period to come together and mourn after the horrific murders of Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar in Southport, has been hijacked by thugs and extremists. The question now is what to do about it. Some, such as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, while condemning the violence, have suggested that far-right violence is a reaction to the fear and unease shared by tens of millions of people.

Right-wing academic Matt Goodwin says we are witnessing “the direct result of failed policies including ‘mass uncontrolled immigration’”. Shadow Welsh secretary Lord Davies of Gower (in words he says were misconstrued and which he has apologised for) appeared to imply disorder was justified by Labour opposing the Rwanda Bill.

Others have spoken of the “legitimate concerns” of the rioters on issues such as immigration and suggested that this moment needs to be the start of a conversation on those issues.

In my view, all of these responses are not only wrong but do a deep disservice to millions of ordinary Britons and their concerns. Of course, it is true that people have worries about immigration. Eighty-two per cent of the public say they are concerned about the number of people coming to the UK illegally. A majority think that levels of immigration to the UK need to be reduced.

And disillusionment with politics is far wider than just on the issue of immigration; in focus groups that More in Common runs across the country every week, we hear frustration from people about their relatives being stuck on waiting lists, despair at the soaring price of energy bills, and real anger at the sense of “one rule for them” for politicians following scandals like Partygate.

But the simple fact is that the vast majority of Britons, whether they are concerned about immigration or the NHS, not only would never dream of taking part in hateful riots but are actively appalled by what they have seen.