Starmer to meet family of murdered student Henry Nowak after hitting out at Musk amid political row

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will meet the family of murdered student Henry Nowak, whose treatment by police triggered political debate.

No 10 said the special meeting would be held in Downing Street on Thursday afternoon.

The Labor leader accused Elon Musk of trying to “whip up division” in the UK over the murder, while urging politicians to heed calls from Mr Nowak’s relatives to “not use the case to create confusion”.

Earlier this week, violent protests broke out near where the 18-year-old was fatally stabbed after his killer, Vickrum Digwa, claimed he was the victim of a racist attack; Mr. Nowak was handcuffed by police who ignored his dying pleas that he could not breathe.

Digwa, 23, was sentenced to at least 21 years in prison earlier this week following Nowak’s murder in December 2025.

Mr Musk, owner of Billionaire

The Prime Minister told reporters during a trip to York on Thursday: “We also need to establish who we are as a country, because again Musk has been interfering in our politics over the last few days, trying to foment division – that’s not who we are in Britain.”

“In Britain we are reasonable and tolerant people. When faced with a horrific case like Henry’s, we react calmly, just as Henry Nowak and his family did.”

“In Britain we are reasonable and tolerant people. When faced with a horrific case like Henry’s, we react calmly, just as Henry Nowak and his family did.”

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch also stressed that Mr Nowak’s family “do not want anger to tear communities apart” after meeting with his mother, father and stepmother on Thursday morning.

He added that the family agreed with him that “we need to bring back common sense” in how equality under the law is handled.