Keir Starmer slams Elon Musk's claim 'civil war is inevitable' following UK riots

5 August 2024, 13:52 | Updated: 5 August 2024, 14:32

Sir Keir Starmer has slammed comments made by X owner Elon Musk after he suggested "civil war is inevitable" following UK riots.

The PM chaired an emergency Cobra meeting with senior ministers on Monday morning, meeting with police and prison chiefs to discuss the disorder.

The PM announced a "standing army" of specialist officers are now on hand to deal with the disorder.

Over 400 people have now been arrested after a weekend of far-right violence swept across the country, as the prime minister vowed to set up a “standing army” of specialist police officers.

Musk's comments came in response to a video posted to X with the caption "The effects of mass migration and open borders is what’s going on."

Speaking on the post, the Prime Minister's spokesperson added there was "no justification for comments like that".

It comes as the Home Secretary told LBC that social media companies must bear "responsibility" for putting "rocket boosters" under the issue of rioting.

"There is a responsibility on them to meet their own terms and conditions - which they are not doing," Ms Cooper said.

During the Cobra meeting, Starmer said police working with National Crime Agency to tackle criminality and bot activity online over fears state actors are involved.

The police, Home Office, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the National Crime Agency are working to tackle criminality online and to ensure people are prosecuted for online criminal activity, according to a read-out of the Westminster gathering.

Downing Street concluded that social media firms needed an immediate response to disinformation and the government will consider a wider framework in due course.

It also confirmed that 70 extra prosecutors on hand this weekend to charge and 60 remand courts have been made available

Read more: Home Secretary warns rioters should prepare to swap summer holidays for 'a knock on the door and a police cell'

Read more: Nigeria joins Malaysia in advising citizens not to travel to UK warning of 'violence of dangerous proportions'

"Anyone who is whipping up violence online will face the full force of the law," Starmer's spokesperson said, adding: "online platforms have a responsibility."

Yvette Cooper: Government will be raising issues with social media companies

Speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting, the prime minister said: “The first is we will have a standing army of specialist public duty officers so that we will have enough officers to deal with this where we need them.

“The second is we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests, some have appeared in court this morning.

Sir Keir added during the meeting that "the law applies online".

I“I have asked for early consideration of the earliest naming and identification of those involved in the process who will feel the full force of the law.”

It follows comments on Sunday evening in which the PM condemned the violence, adding perpetrators would “regret” engaging in “far-right thuggery”.

A 14-year-old boy pleaded guilty at Liverpool Magistrates' Court, sitting as a youth court, to violent disorder over the weekend, as part of the first wave of rioters to hit UK courts.

A 69-year-old man also pleaded guilty to violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon following widespread rioting in Liverpool on Saturday night.

William Nelson Morgan (from Linton Road, L4) was part of a large group involved in hurling bricks at police and setting bins and buildings on fire along County Road. He was also in possession of a wooden bat.