Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched a blistering attack on Reform UK leader Nigel Farage during Prime Minister’s Questions, branding Farage’s political response to the Henry Nowak murder as “unforgivable” after the right-wing leader warned of escalating violence across the country.
The explosive parliamentary clash follows violent protests in Southampton last night, where demonstrators clashed with police over the controversial handling of the 18-year-old’s death.
“Two-Tier Policing” vs. “Condemn the Violence”
Addressing the House, Farage claimed that “growing millions” of Britons now believe they are living under a two-tier policing system. He alleged that police leadership issues written instructions mandating that officers treat different ethnic groups in different ways.
Referencing the violent clashes in Southampton, Farage warned that the public anger is “in danger of getting considerably worse if the public lose trust in being treated fairly by the police.” He demanded the Prime Minister take immediate action to end the “divisive practice.”
Throughout Farage’s question, furious Labour MPs could be heard screaming across the chamber, repeatedly yelling “condemn the violence” at the Reform UK leader. The uproar prompted the Speaker of the House to intervene, threatening to eject rowdy MPs to allow the Prime Minister to respond.
“It Shows Exactly Who He Is”
Taking the dispatch box, Prime Minister Keir Starmer categorically rejected Farage’s premise. “I don’t believe there is two-tier policing in this country,” Starmer declared, before launching into a highly personal attack on the Reform leader’s character.
Starmer accused Farage of feigning respect for the Nowak family while actively ignoring their explicit public pleas. Pointing to Mark Nowak’s request that his son’s death not be used to stoke division, Starmer condemned Farage’s recent public calls for the country to react with “pure cold rage.”
“My response… has been focused on the lessons to be learned so we can deliver justice,” Starmer stated, his voice rising in anger. “His response has been to appeal for rage. Rage! That’s his response to a father who has lost his son and asked for that not to happen.”
Starmer concluded to cheers from the Labour benches: “Exploiting this tragedy to create grievance and division would be wrong in any circumstances, but to do it when the family are expressly saying ‘please don’t’ is unforgivable. It shows exactly who he is.”
