Closing summary
We’re closing the blog now, here’s a summary of the day’s main developments:
Prime minister Keir Starmer has announced a new “capability” across police forces to combat the violent disorder seen in parts of England and called those behind it a “tiny, mindless minority in our society”
Police chiefs, with whom Starmer met earlier in the day, welcomed the government’s commitment to tackling the issue
Starmer also warned large social media companies that “violent disorder clearly whipped up online is also a crime and it is happening on your premises”. However, he added the government would work with companies to help solve the problem
A former counter-terrorism police chief has accused Nigel Farage of helping incite violence that broke out in Southport after the killing of three children in a knife attack this week. However, Starmer refused to be drawn on Farage’s comments
Away from Southport developments, Suella Braverman has said she will not defect to Reform UK unless she is “driven out” of the Conservative party. But in her first interview since abandoning her bid to replace Rishi Sunak as party leader, the former home secretary warned that the Tories have “no chance of winning the next general election” as long as Nigel Farage’s party “is a viable alternative”
And finally, GPs in England are to stage industrial action for the first time in 60 years amid a row over funding, a move that experts have warned could have a catastrophic effect on the entire healthcare system
Updated
Cleveland Chief Constable Mark Webster said the events in Hartlepool were “mindless thuggery”.
Asked what the motivation was for the disorder, he said:
There is an opportunity to go out and damage things, and just exhibit a bit of violence.
I don’t think there is a principle at stake, this was not a legitimate protest or demonstration.
I think there is some mindless thuggery and that’s why we are being really proactive to go out and arrest people.
There’s no excuse for last night.
