Starmer to chair third Cobra meeting in a week to prepare for further unrest

The Prime Minister will chair another Cobra meeting with law enforcement officials on Thursday afternoon to “reflect on last night” and plan for the coming days.

Sir Keir Starmer will hold the third high-level gathering of its kind in the last week, after threats of further disorder largely failed to materialise on Wednesday evening.

Police had expected more than 100 events on Wednesday night, with 30 counter-demonstrations planned.

Shops were boarded up in many towns and cities over fears of rioting after a week of violent disorder which started in Southport, Merseyside, on July 30.

Though further violence was largely curtailed, the Prime Minister insisted it was “important that we don’t let up”.

Following a visit to a mosque in Solihull, he told broadcasters: “Now it’s important that we don’t let up here and that’s why later on today I will have another Cobra meeting with law enforcement, with senior police officers, to make sure that we reflect on last night but also plan for the coming days.”

Published: 08/08/2024 by Radio NewsHub