Riots sweeping UK cannot be allowed to escalate, Truss warns

Former prime minister Liz Truss has urged Sir Keir Starmer to ensure swift action is taken to prevent future aggression on the streets of Britain.

Former prime minister Liz Truss has condemned riots which have taken place across the country (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

Liz Truss has said riots in the UK “cannot be allowed to escalate” as she condemned the “appalling violence”.

More violence was experienced across the streets of England and Northern Ireland, with the former prime minister using her Edinburgh Festival Fringe appearance to demand police have the ability to act “without fear or favour” to prevent further aggression.

She said current prime minister Sir Keir Starmer should hold daily Cobra meetings to get a handle on the situation.

However, she also addressed illegal immigration during the All Talk with Iain Dale fringe event, accusing the UK Government of sending the “wrong message” by scrapping the Rwanda scheme.

Nobody should be condoning that type of violence or the attacks on the Muslim or Jewish communities. It’s shocking and appalling and it needs to be dealt with in the firmest possible way

Liz Truss, former PM

Speaking during the event, which was hosted by LBC presenter Matthew Stadlen, she said: “I completely condemn the appalling violence and I am shocked to see what we are seeing happening on the streets of Britain.”

She added: “Nobody should be condoning that type of violence or the attacks on the Muslim or Jewish communities. It’s shocking and appalling and it needs to be dealt with in the firmest possible way.”

She said Sir Keir needs to be “absolutely clear that the police will act without fear or favour towards anybody committing violence anywhere in our country.”

“This situation cannot be allowed to escalate,” she said.

Sir Keir vowed to “ramp up criminal justice” after an emergency Cobra meeting was called on Monday one week on from the Southport stabbings in the wake of a sixth day of disorder which saw rioters storm hotels housing asylum seekers.

During the same event in Edinburgh, Ms Truss said the current levels of legal migration were “too high”, arguing the economy had become too reliant on overseas workers.

However, she also argued the Labour Government was moving in the wrong direction in its efforts to tackle illegal immigration.

Sir Keir scrapped the previous administration’s Rwanda scheme, instead pledging to crack down on smuggler gangs who facilitate small boat crossings over the English Channel.

She said: “As foreign secretary I looked at lots of different options for what we could do, but the fact is that under the law, if somebody arrives as an illegal asylum seeker, you need somewhere for that person to be able to go, otherwise you become a magnet for asylum seekers.

“These are not easy things to sort out but I think Keir Starmer has sent the wrong message by immediately cancelling the Rwanda policy and having no alternative.”

The UK Government has been asked for comment.