David Lammy slams JD Vance as ‘mistaken’ in his remarks about Henry Nowak’s homicide
Deputy PM David Lammy said he spoke to US Vice-President JD Vance and told him his controversial ‘mass invasion’ post about the murder of student Henry Nowak was ‘not helpful’
David Lammy(Image: PA)
David Lammy said he warned JD Vance he was “wrong” in his commentary about the murder of Henry Nowak. The Deputy PM claimed he told the US Vice-President his controversial post was “not helpful” and that “our democratic process is working well” during a “robust” phone call.
Mr Vance appeared to blame the killing on a “mass invasion” of people into Europe. But Labour MP Mr Lammy said: “I wanted to emphasise a number of things.
“I disagree with him. This has got nothing to do with mass migration. This young man was a Brit. We had an agreeable conversation, but we disagree.
Asked whether he had given Mr Vance a ticking-off, the Justice Secretary said: “We had an agreeable conversation because we have got a relationship. But I wanted to make him clear that I disagree with some of the facts that he was asserting and to present the facts to him.
“I also urged him that it’s not helpful to tweet in this way, partly because of what the Nowak family have asked for, and reminded him about their desire not to make this an issue of division and hatred, but to make this an issue of common sense.”
Mr Nowak, an 18-year-old student was handcuffed by police who ignored his pleas that he had been stabbed as he lay dying. His British-born killer, Vickrum Digwa, 23, lied to police by telling them he had been the victim of a racist attack.
In the latest intervention by the Trump administration over the murder, Mr Vance had said on Friday: “Henry Nowak died the same way a civilization dies: abandoned, handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him, and accused of hate crimes he did not commit. His murder is as tragic as it is enraging.
“He should still be alive today, and he would be if the last few generations of European elites had stood their ground against the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it.”
The vice-president said the response to Mr Nowak’s death should be “righteous anger”, in a post on X that came after violent unrest in Southampton on Tuesday, near the spot where the teenager was killed.
Meanwhile, it emerged Hampshire Police had planned to put out a statement challenging “disinformation” during Digwa’s trial, but were warned by the Crown Prosecution Service it could jeopardise the case.
