Tory focus on immigration helped stoke riots, equalities committee chair says

Owen said it was notable that hotels housing asylum seekers waiting for their claims to be processed were attacked during August’s riots (including in Rotherham, pictured). Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA

The Conservative government’s relentless focus on small boat crossings and delays processing asylum claims played a role in stoking August’s UK riots, the chair of the Commons equalities committee has said.

The Labour MP Sarah Owen, whose committee has launched an inquiry into improving community cohesion after the unrest, warned that Reform UK MPs were also making the task of strengthening communities more urgent.