Starmer’s response to the riots raises several questions

It goes without saying that the riots in Southport, Hartlepool and London are a mindless reaction to the killing of three girls, based on false information which, according to former MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove, may have been propagated from Russia in a deliberate attempt to stir up social unrest in Britain. But is Sir Keir Starmer really wise to use these particular events to launch what he calls a ‘national capability’ to track across the country those suspected of plotting violent disorder? When he visited Southport on Tuesday he appealed to people not to play politics with the tragedy, yet to many people that is exactly what he is doing.

The tightrope that the Prime Minister is having to walk lies in addressing disorder while simultaneously not feeding the idea – felt by many – that those in power are treating violent disorder rather differently according to who commits it.