Keir Starmer said violence in Belfast following Monday’s horror attack was ‘completely unjustified’, while Security Minister Dan Jarvis said it was ‘sickening’ that ethnic minority groups were being targeted
Keir Starmer has called for calm after violent scenes in Belfast, saying rioting and arson in the city were “completely unjustified”.
The Prime Minister said people were rightly sickened by the attack which triggered the violence as he vowed to ensure order is restored. Opening PMQs, Mr Starmer said: “People are rightly sickened by the horrific attack on Monday night in north Belfast… But let me be clear.
“The acts of violence and arson that followed are totally unjustified.” He went on: “We will crack down on anyone who is fuelling this division.” Security minister Dan Jarvis said: “Reports that ethnic minorities were targeted are sickening.”
Labour has accused Elon Musk and “bad faith actors” online of fuelling protests. Party chair Anna Turley said: “We’ve seen children and families having to leave their homes, and no one wants to see that.
“We know the situation that happened the night before last was absolutely horrific, absolutely horrendous. And there’s no place for that on the streets of the United Kingdom. But we have to let the police and the justice system take its course now.
“And nobody should be stoking this up or bringing violence to the streets anywhere in the United Kingdom.” Criticising billionaire Musk, who posted repeatedly about the Belfast attack, Ms Turley told Times Radio: “I think we have to acknowledge and see that social media is playing a role in driving this. And I think there are bad faith actors who are sitting, often many, many miles away. It’s easy for them to stoke these things up.”
The horror attack has put border arrangements between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in sharp focus. It emerged in the aftermath that suspect Hadi Alodid entered the province across the Irish border by bus in February 2023 – having flown to Dublin from Paris.
He then claimed asylum upon arrival, and in September 2023 was granted leave to remain in the UK until 2028.
Ms Turley said conversations are taking place about the common travel area – which means there are no routine border checks between Ireland and the UK. But she warned that it must not be used as a “back route” for people to enter the UK to claim asylum.
Right-wing Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) MP Jim Allister claimed the current system is having a “deadly impact”. But SDLP leader Claire Hanna accused those calling for a hard border of leaning into “people’s worst fears and anxieties”.
She said: “People are, of course, entitled to their views on immigration, and, of course, Government policy is imperfect, but this hasn’t been a debate or a conversation.
“There haven’t been proposals, there haven’t been honesty about the trade-offs, there has been mob justice, and some of the same old, same old proposals for a hardened border on the island of Ireland. Political leaders have a duty to lead, not to lean into people’s worst fears and anxieties.”