Riots have exposed deep fractures in our society… Labour must tackle 3 contentious areas or there could be trouble ahead
THE hurricane of fury seems to have passed.
After more than a week of violence that began after the slaughter of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed summer club in Southport, peace has largely returned to Britain’s streets.
On Wednesday night the authorities had braced themselves for a dramatic escalation in the anarchy.
This fear was based on intelligence about the activities of the far right, which had ruthlessly exploited the nation’s shock over the Southport killings to bring out angry demonstrators in towns and cities across England, as well as Belfast in Northern Ireland.
As it turned out, the mass right-wing protests never materialised.
So full of snarling aggression when they felt they were in command, the bigots faded from the scene when challenged by the police and the mainstream, law-abiding British public, whose large counter demonstrations easily outnumbered their pathetic turnout.
They had planned another show of intimidation. What they received was a humiliation.
Tough sentences
Wednesday night had threatened to be a moment of shame for Britain. Instead, it became a source of pride as the nation’s traditional spirit of decency triumphed over division.
Apart from this popular show of defiance against the mob, much of the credit for that outcome is due to the new Prime Minister and his Government, who showed calmness, resolution and purpose, despite their inexperience in office.
This was the first big test of Labour’s ability to act under extreme pressure and they emerged with authority enhanced.
In a sense, Sir Keir was lucky in that the first major crisis of his premiership was on this territory, with which he was well acquainted because of his previous job as Director of Public Prosecutions.
His Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, also showed coolness under fire.
Contrary to Labour’s image of being soft on crime, the party has a tradition of tough figures at the Home Office, such as Herbert Morrison (who was the son of a police officer), Jim Callaghan and John Reid.
Instead of indulging in political theatrics, the Government gave a firm lead to both the police and the courts.
The public have grown so used to feeble inertia in the face of crime that it was remarkable to see the determination of the state’s agencies when they had the will to act.
So far, 595 people have been arrested by the police, who also deployed 6,000 riot-trained officers on Wednesday night.
The violence could flare up again, particularly if there is another act of barbarity
Leo McKinstry
The courts were just as dynamic, speeding up their procedures and handing out tough sentences to troublemakers.
It is fashionable in left-wing circles to claim that “prison doesn’t work” but that message is blown apart by the resolute actions of judges and prosecutors.
Sir Keir is right to say that there is no room for complacency, of course.
The violence could flare up again, particularly if there is another act of barbarity. But the far right and other trouble-makers have been taught a lesson.
They will now be wary of another embarrassing flop or another round of arrests.
Deep fractures
Yet the Labour Government cannot restrict itself just to the question of maintaining order. Ministers must also show national leadership in addressing the deeper causes of the riots.
The reality is that they have exposed deep fractures within our society, with millions feeling bewildered by the pace of demographic change and abandoned through economic neglect.
It is telling that the places with the worst rioting were northern towns such as Rotherham and Hartlepool, which have high levels of joblessness and deprivation.
The sense of grievance is powerful, even if it is cynically used by the far right to whip up discord and promote a sense of victimhood.
Even before the riots, the social divisions were clear. The fraying of cohesion has been reflected in growing fear and distrust, as highlighted by the security measures adopted in the Jewish community in response to the wave of anti-Semitism fuelled in part by pro-Palestinian protests over Gaza.
Similarly, sectarianism — previously confined to Northern Ireland — is now growing in our political system, as illustrated by the recent election of a string of independent Islamic candidates.
Worryingly, Labour seems to have no real plan to tackle illegal migration across the Channel
Leo McKinstry
The friction also exists in the virtual sphere, where online misinformation serves as a catalyst for hatred.
Starmer’s job now is not just to ensure lawbreakers are punished. He must also act as a healer and a force for unity.
A non-partisan approach is particularly vital in three contentious areas.
The first is mass immigration, which most of the public rightly feel has been out of control for too long.
Worryingly, Labour seems to have no real plan to tackle illegal migration across the Channel.
The Government recently announced plans for a change in the law to allow migrants who arrived here illegally over the past 18 months to have their claims processed.
Economic equality
It has been estimated that 70,000 will be granted asylum in what has been called by the Tories an “effective amnesty”.
Ministers should be moving in the opposite direction by strengthening the borders so the influx is reduced and real integration can be achieved.
Second, Labour should drop its obsession with identity politics, which stokes resentment by its emphasis on what divides us and its perceived bias towards certain favoured minority groups.
What we need is real equality, rather than this recipe for cultural splits.
Third, we also need economic equality so communities don’t feel left behind.
In practice, that requires the Government to go for growth by boosting enterprise and job creation by cutting taxes, attracting private investment, using the welfare system to promote work rather than dependency and improving the efficiency of the public sector.
If Starmer can do all that, he will be a real statesman.
But if he pursues a narrow political agenda, there could be trouble ahead.