Tag Archives: Southport

Keir Starmer Warns Social Media Is Not A ‘Law-Free Zone’ After Sadiq Khan Reveals Concerns

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Keir Starmer signalled that a firmer crackdown on social media may be in the works after the London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his concerns.

After a week and a half of far-right riots – partially driven by social media disinformation and online conspiracy theories – Khan said the government has “very swiftly” realised the Online Safety Act needs to be amended.

The mayor added: “I think it is not fit for purpose.”

The Online Safety Act became law last October, and allows regulator Ofcom to fine social media companies up to £18m or 10% of their global turnover if they do not take illegal content off their platforms.

However, these fines will not come into effect fully until 2025.

On Friday, the prime minister was asked for his response to Khan’s comments.

He said: “I do agree that we’re going to have to look more broadly at social media after this disorder, but the focus at the moment has to be on dealing with the disorder and making sure that our communities are safe and secure.”

Starmer added: “This is not a law-free zone. And I think that’s clear from the prosecutions and sentencing. Today we’re due sentencing for online behaviour.”

Two people linked to inciting the violence seen all over the UK in the last few days online have now been jailed.

The PM continued: “That’s a reminder to everyone that whether you’re directly involved or whether you’re remotely involved, you’re culpable, and you will be put before the courts if you’ve broken the law.”

He said tech bosses should be “mindful of the first priority, which is to ensure that our communities are safe and secure”.

Starmer did not directly mention the boss of X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk, who has been in a war of words with the PM over the riots.

He responded to various clips of extremists clashing with the police, claiming “civil war in inevitable” in the UK and pushing conspiracy theories like “two-tier policing”.

Khan, one of the most high-profile Muslim politicians in the UK, also told the Guardian on Thursday that he felt “triggered” by the racist riots.

He said: “I’m somebody who grew up in the 1970s and 80s and experienced the National Front and the BNP and I thought that’s behind us.

“Like a lot of people of my generation, I felt triggered by the events of the last couple of weeks in particular.”

Khan has regularly faced abuse online too – but he noted it was not “realistic” to boycott any social platforms.

“One of the ways we can address people’s fears is using the medium that’s used by citizens and that is social media platforms.” he said.

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Russian Government Spokesperson Has A Rather Unhelpful Take On UK Riots – And Brits’ Right To Protest

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A top Russian politician in Vladimir Putin’s government has weighed in on the far-right riots in the UK, claiming people “have every right to express their disagreement” with the government.

Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry, took aim at Downing Street rather than the anti-immigration extremists who have caused chaos up and down the country over the last week.

In a statement released on Russia’s ministry of foreign affairs’ website, she claimed the British government was paying “lip service to what it called the democratic principles” after home secretary Yvette Cooper told police to be as “tough and harsh as possible”.

More than 400 protesters have been arrested in the last week with many charged for their connection to the disorder.

It comes after social media misinformation incited looting, arson, disorder and violence up and down the country.

Zakharova said: “It is now up to the UK authorities and police to stay within the confines of the law.”

It’s worth remembering there is an international arrest warrant out against Putin for the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Still, Zakharova claimed: “It must be recalled that people have every right to express their disagreement with the government policies.

“In this context, Russia calls on London to refrain from any unjustified or unproportionate [sic] use of violence against protestors and ensure their right to freedom of assembly.”

Russia actually has a history of violently suppressing early signs of dissent itself.

Moscow even arrested peaceful protesters who held up blank pieces of paper shortly after Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Zakharova also claimed: “Russia is known for opposing and never allowing itself to meddle into the domestic affairs of other countries.”

Moscow has, over the years, been accused of interfering in major events in other countries, including the last UK general election and the ongoing Paris Olympics.

Russia has repeatedly denied such accusations, though.

Zakharova continued: “This is why our country refrains from lecturing others on ways of overcoming their internal challenges and crises.

“On the contrary, it is the Western countries, led by the United States, who act this way.

“They would have been better off paying more attention to their own challenges instead of seeking to undermine stability around the world.”

The UK, along with Ukraine’s other Western allies, has been providing military aid and financial support to Kyiv to protect it against Russia’s land grab over the last two and a half years.

Moscow has subsequently taken aim at the West repeatedly, often threatening to deploy its nuclear weapons.

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Keir Starmer Announces New National Violent Disorder Unit To Tackle Rioters

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Keir Starmer has just announced a new national violent disorder unit to address rioters after meeting with police chiefs this afternoon.

The group will look to increase intelligence gathering and sharing on potential unrest and “extremist troublemakers” from across the ideological spectrum.

The unit will be part of the national police operations centre, although the financial details of the group are yet to be firmed up.

The prime minister’s decision comes after a surprise wave of far-right protests sprung up this week in response to the Southport knife attack on Monday.

Starmer said the violent demonstrations were the “actions of a tiny mindless minority” and slammed “far-right hatred”.

“These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community, and we must have a police response that can do the same,” he said in a televised press conference.

He said the “violent disorder, clearly whipped up online” was crime, not protest.

He added that the government would take “all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”

Violent demonstrations in Southport, Hartlepool and London – just outside the gates to Downing Street – claimed to be motivated by the horrific stabbings in Merseyside earlier this week where three girls under the age of 10 died.

The 17-year-old suspect, now publicly named as Cardiff-born Axel Rudakubana, has been charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.

Before his identity was confirmed, social media misinformation had galvanised far-right protesters who chanted, “stop the boats” and threw missiles at the police during the riots.

The judge took the unusual decision of naming a suspect who is under 18 in an effort to stop the spread of misinformation “in a vacuum”.

Rudakubana is also set to turn 18 on Wednesday, August 7.

Starmer said his meeting with police chiefs was held to “pull together our response, response both to the immediate challenge which is clearly driven by far-right hatred, but also all violent disorder that flares up whatever the apparent cause or motivation”.

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