Keir Starmer cancels vacation as a consequence of riots depite Boris Johnson’s odd message

Keir Starmer has cancelled his family holiday following the wave of riots across the UK.

The PM had been expected to head to Europe with his family for a few days – but has now opted to stay at home with police forces on “high alert”. The decision stands in stark contrast with Boris Johnson’s initial refusal to come home during the 2011 London riots, when he was the capital’s mayor.

Mr Johnson himself wrote that it was time for Mr Starmer to “recharge the batteries” in a bitterly-worded attack encouring him to “show some guts”. A Government source said Mr Starmer now won’t be taking a break – adding it shows his “dedication to public service”. He is instead expected to work from No10 and Chequers, having already chaired three Cobra meetings on the violence.

More than 700 people have been arrested and over 300 charged following shameful scenes when far-right thugs tried to sow hatred following the Southport knife attack. A poll by YouGov found 70% of respondents thought the PM shouldn’t go on holiday while tensions were high.

Parliament is on its summer break, which has been shortened following the General Election. On Friday Mr Starmer said: “My message to the police and all of those that are charged with responding to disorder is maintain that high alert.

“I’m absolutely convinced that having the police officers in place these last few days, and the swift justice that has been dispensed in our courts have had a real impact. But we have to stay on high alert going into this weekend because we absolutely have to make sure that our communities are safe and secure and feel safe and secure.”

He is understood to have told a Cobra meeting at the end of last week that policing in the right places and swift justice have acted as a deterrent to disorder.

Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick previously said it would be “completely wrong for the Prime Minister to holiday while parts of Britain are burning”. Downing Street insisted that Mr Starmer would have continued to work, even if he and his family went away.

In a puzzling intervention, Mr Johnson appeared to urge the PM to go on holiday. He wrote in the Daily Mail: “Rather than holding any more meetings and giving any more of your stunned-mullet press conferences, it is time for you to recharge the batteries. You need to scrunch the sand between your toes, squint at the sea and think.

“You need to reflect on the events of the past month, and the whole strategy of the Labour Government, because it is starting to look like a frenzy of utter stupidity.” He went on: “Have some guts, face down your critics, and acquire the perspective that comes with distance and a kilo of retsina.”