Southport stabbing latest: Suspect named as Axel Muganwa Rudakubana as Starmer announces new ‘capability’ to curb riots

Susan Hulme
Parliamentary correspondent

The prime minister has said he is establishing a “national capability” across police forces to tackle violent disorder following the tragedy in Southport.

Following this afternoon’s meeting with police chiefs in Downing Street, Starmer said: “These thugs are mobile, they move from community to community and we must have a policing response that can do the same – shared intelligence, wider deployment of facial-recognition technology and prevent action such as criminal behaviour orders to restrict their movements before they can even board a train.”

He had a warning for large social media companies, saying: “Violent disorder, clearly whipped up online – that is also a crime. It’s happening on your premises and the law must be upheld everywhere.”

He said that he was resolved to show that the UK is a country that “will not allow understandable fear to curdle into division and hate in our communities, and that will not permit under any circumstances a breakdown in law and order on our streets.”

He added it’s not protest, it’s not legitimate – it’s crime, violent disorder” and he said “we will put a stop to it”.

He also warned against speculation over the trial: “The price for a trial that is prejudiced is ultimately paid by the victims and their families who are deprived of the justice that they deserve.”