Robert Jenrick attacks ‘ludicrous’ claim Nigel Farage encouraged riot | Politics | News

Mr Farage later told Parliament that “it is now clear to millions that we live under two tiers of police rule in this country”. The Reform UK leader was pressed during Prime Minister’s Questions and urged to condemn the violence in Southampton after saying there was a danger of things “getting much worse”. […] “If the public loses confidence that the police will be treated fairly.”

Speaking to GB News, Reform treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick said it was “ridiculous” to suggest Mr Farage’s response to the murder had fueled division.

Mr Jenrick was asked about Government minister Lucy Rigby’s claim. Ms Rigby told the channel the correct response was to “respect the wishes of Henry’s family and of course not exploit his death to create further tension”.

He continued: “Unfortunately the response we got from Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform, was to incite anger, to incite division, to actually incite violence against some of our brave police officers… I think that was completely the wrong approach.”

Mr Jenrick said he was “absolutely stunned by these ridiculous comments”.

He added that there was “nothing” the current party leader had done to encourage unrest: “[Farage] “He has shown leadership in determining the course of action that needs to be taken now to ensure that we address this issue and treat everyone equally under the law.”

Reform UK also called for the Kirpan knife, a religious knife that is exempt from the law, to be banned and Police Race Action Plans to be abolished.

They made the calls despite Henry Nowak’s father asking people not to view their son’s murder as a way to spark further division.

Mr Jenrick said the “best service” politicians could do for the Nowak family was to honor him, to ensure we never see a young boy treated so horribly again.

He said Reform wanted to put forward an “equal treatment law” where “everyone would be treated the same by the police, regardless of skin colour”.