Keir Starmer ‘humbled’ after assembly Henry Nowak household as he requires calm

Keir Starmer held private talks with Henry Nowak’s mother Lucy, father Mark and stepmother Katie in No10 following a public outcry over bodycam footage that showed him pleading with police who handcuffed him as he lay dying

View 3 Images

Keir Starmer said he was “profoundly humbled” after meeting the family of murdered teenager Henry Nowak in Downing Street – urging politicians not to use the tragedy to stir up division.

The Prime Minister held private talks with Henry’s mother Lucy, father Mark and stepmother Katie in No10 following a public outcry over harrowing bodycam footage. The 18-year-old was shown pleading with police who handcuffed him as he lay dying.

Mr Starmer said that choosing “unity and progress over division and hatred” is the only way to honour Henry’s legacy. In a statement following the meeting he said he was determined that lessons would be learned from the case.

The PM stated: “I was profoundly humbled to meet Henry Nowak’s family, Mark, Lucy and Katie, in Downing Street this afternoon, and to see their dignity and strength in the face of unimaginable pain.

“I was moved to learn more about Henry – his kindness, his warmth, and his love of football – and am grateful to his family. There is no doubt he had a bright future ahead of him, a future cruelly stolen from him in appalling circumstances.

“Henry deserves a legacy that goes beyond this awful tragedy, and I am committed to making that happen. I am determined that we do everything in our power to prevent other families from suffering such a devastating loss.”

An investigation into Hampshire Police’s handling of Henry’s fatal stabbing is being carried out by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. Bodycam video released on Monday revealed officers at the scene did not believe the fatally-wounded student when he said he had been stabbed.

Mr Starmer said: “There are difficult questions that need to be answered about the way the police handled Henry’s murder. The Independent Office for Police Conduct are investigating. We will be unflinching in taking whatever action is required to right the wrongs in this case.

“It is our duty now to ensure that lessons are learned, that justice is delivered and that we choose unity and progress over division and hatred. This is the only way to honour Henry’s memory.”

Henry’s family spoke with the Prime Minister for nearly an hour. Earlier in the day they met Tory leader Kemi Badenoch, who said they were clear they “do not want anger to tear communities apart”

The 18-year-old student’s killer, Vickrum Digwa, was jailed for a minimum of 21 years on Monday. The 23-year-old lied to officers at the scene of Henry’s stabbing, falsely claiming he was the victim of a racist attack.

Henry’s sister Olivia, 22, posted heart-breaking videos of the pair dancing and singing together, saying he would be “forever 18”. In a poignant tribute, she said: “Miss and love you forever.”

Mr Starmer earlier urged politicians to listen to the family’s plea to not use his case to whip up hatred and division. It comes after he accused Nigel Farage of exploiting the tragedy after he urged supporters to react with “pure cold rage” hours before violent protests broke out near the scene of Henry’s murder in Southampton.

Speaking to reporters in York, the PM said: “We really need to listen to Henry’s family, because they’re asking us, as politicians, as leaders, not to use his case to whip up division, not to cause disturbances.

“We have to listen to them. They’re grieving, they’ve lost their son, and so everything I’ve tried to do in relation to this case has been grounded in what they must be going through.”

The Southampton University student could be seen telling officers “I can’t breathe” and saying he had been stabbed. One officer could be heard telling him “I don’t think you have mate”.

Mr Starmer said the police had questions to answer over their response and the Independent Office for Police Conduct must be allowed to carry out its investigation. “I think it’s right that there may need to be changes and we shouldn’t shy away from that,” he added.

After Digwa’s sentencing on Monday, Henry’s dad said it was “unbearable” to see how his son had been treated by police – and said the family would bear their grief “every single day for the rest of their lives.”

He said: “We do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension. We want his story to make our streets safer for everyone.”

Mrs Badenoch posted on X earlier in the day: “They have asked that we work across political parties and religions to rebuild trust in the police. That trust has been broken because of what happened, and I agree with them on that.

“We must also be prepared to examine, carefully and seriously, religious practices or exemptions that permit the carrying of dangerous weapons in public, and other activities that are not conducive to the public good. We also need to examine where the law needs to change.”

Digwa was jailed on Monday for a minimum of 21 years for stabbing Henry with an 8-inch ceremonial blade he said he carried as part of his Sikh faith.