Starmer criticizes Farage over ‘pure rage’ response to Nowak murder
Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that he “felt sick” watching body camera footage of 17-year-old Henry Nowak being handcuffed while dying. In a pooled TV interview, Starmer condemned Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for saying people should respond to the murder with “pure cold rage,” calling it “the wrong reaction.” Starmer noted that Nowak’s family has asked for the incident not to be whipped up and said Farage is “completely wrong” to use the case to create division. Starmer also said he is not ruling out a Macpherson-style inquiry into whether anti-racist police culture has gone too far, but wants the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) to finish its investigation first. Separately, more than 100 MPs signed an amendment to the elections bill calling for a national commission on proportional representation. The article also reports that 11 Sikh Labour MPs issued a joint statement supporting Nowak’s family and urging people not to let the murder divide communities.
What’s reported
Starmer said watching body cam footage of Nowak’s arrest made him “feel sick” as a father of a 17-year-old boy.
Starmer condemned Nigel Farage for saying the response to Nowak’s murder should be “pure cold rage,” calling it “the wrong reaction.”
Starmer said he is not ruling out a Macpherson-style inquiry into whether anti-racist police culture has gone too far, but wants the IOPC to finish its investigation first.
More than 100 MPs signed an amendment to the representation of the people bill for a National Commission on Electoral Reform, according to the all-party parliamentary group for fair elections.
The amendment has been signed by 72 Labour MPs, 24 Lib Dems, all five Green MPs, and one Alliance MP.
Starmer announced the government will update the cabinet manual, which has not been updated since 2011.
11 Sikh Labour MPs issued a joint statement expressing support for Henry Nowak’s family and urging people not to let the murder divide communities.
Andy Burnham, campaigning to be Labour MP for Makerfield, criticized water company “profiteering” and called for the final dividend from United Utilities to be redistributed to lower bills.
Open questions
The source article does not clarify the specific details of Henry Nowak’s murder or the outcome of the IOPC investigation.
Key figures
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister
Nigel Farage, Reform UK leader
Henry Nowak, 17-year-old murder victim
Vickrum Digwa, named as the murderer of Henry Nowak
Andy Burnham, candidate for Labour MP in Makerfield byelection
Jas Athwal, chair of the all-party parliamentary group for British Sikhs
Alex Sobel, Labour MP and chair of the APPG for fair elections
Mathew Lawrence, director of Common Wealth
Mark McVitie, writer for the Labour Growth Group
Rhun ap Iorwerth, Welsh first minister (mentioned in relation to hospital waits)
Sources: The Guardian
