Keir Starmer urged to hold daily Cobra meetings over riot chaos as Priti Patel speaks out

Former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel has called it a “moral obligation” for Parliament to be recalled from its summer recess, alongside MPs from other parties.

Meanwhile ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss sais Sir Keir Starmer should hold daily Cobra meetings to get a handle on the riots breaking out across swathes of Britain,

She also addressed illegal immigration during the All Talk with Iain Dale fringe event, accusing the UK Government of sending the "wrong message" by scrapping the Rwanda scheme.

Speaking during the event, which was hosted by LBC presenter Matthew Stadlen, she said: "I completely condemn the appalling violence and I am shocked to see what we are seeing happening on the streets of Britain."

It came after Met Police boss Sir Mark Rowley grabbed a reporter's microphone and threw it on the ground when he stormed out of an emergency meeting over Britain's riot crisis.

The fuming Scotland Yard chief appeared to lose his temper while exiting the Cabinet Office in Westminster towards a waiting car when he was grilled by a journalist on whether he would “end two-tier policing”.

This refers to when right-wing demonstrations are considered to be dealt with more harshly than left-wing ones.

The bizarre incident was captured by waiting cameras following Sir Keir Starmer’s Cobra meeting today with ministers and other police chiefs.

A spokesman for the Met Police said: "The commissioner had a positive and constructive meeting with the prime minister and partners across government and policing.

"He was in a hurry to return to New Scotland Yard to take action on the agreed next steps."

Ministers and police bosses are under pressure to tackle violence and far-right thuggery across Britain which has broken out in response to the stabbings in Southport last Monday.

The Prime Minister has been “slow off the mark” to tackle violent riots sweeping across Britain, the Tories have warned.

The Prime Minister held an emergency response Cobra meeting at No10 this morning, days after thousands of far-right thugs began storming the nation’s streets causing mass destruction.

Sir Keir pledged a “standing army” of specialist police officers to tackle what he has condemned as “far-right thuggery”.

This is made up of officers "ready to be deployed to support communities", he said.

Politicians from several parties called for Parliament to be recalled from its summer break while even Labour’s own MPs have admitted “we don’t know” what ministers are doing to tackle the rioting.

This is Sir Keir’s first major test as leader of the UK just a month after getting the keys to No10 Downing Street in a landslide general election victory.

Matt Vickers MP, shadow police and crime minister, said: “Labour so far has been slow off the mark. It took days for Keir Starmer to call a COBRA meeting.

“It took days for Keir Starmer to call a COBRA meeting. We’re just weeks into a Labour government and already we are starting to see that Starmer may not have the mettle to face up to the challenges that come with governing.

“He has dithered and delayed, leaving vital questions hanging in the air: why did COBRA not meet last week when these mobs first hit the streets, and why did he not make sure our police forces had the support they needed straight away?”

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly said the Government “should have been quicker” in its response to the criminality which has so far seen 400 people arrested.

The Tory leadership hopeful said he would have called a Cobra meeting “much earlier” and said the Government should be “more agile, more decisive”.

The meeting – which brought together ministers and police chiefs – was held at the Cabinet Office in Westminster after a sixth day of disorder on Sunday saw rioters clash with police and storm hotels housing asylum seekers.

Its purpose was to allow the Government to set out a response to the violent unrest which has broken out across the country following the Southport stabbings last Monday.

Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old from Lancashire, is accused of the attack which killed three girls.

False claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had travelled to the UK by boat.

Anti-immigration rioters have stormed hotels housing asylum seekers amid chaos over the weekend.

Some have sought to compare the policing of the violence with other recent events such as the disorder in Harehills, Leeds, in mid-July or the pro-Palestine marches through London.

An outbreak of further violence is expected on Wednesday with immigration centres and mosques at risk, reports have suggested.

Shadow Security Minister Tom Tugendhat MP said “Keir Starmer’s failure to hold a Cobra meeting last week and ensure the police had all the resources they need to punish lawless behaviour across the country is inexcusable.

“The spread of lies and misinformation on social media is fanning the flames of hatred and division. Violence will never be tolerated and the government must take whatever measures are needed to quickly restore order and keep communities safe.”

Meanwhile Mr Farage called for Parliament to return while expressing concern over Sir Keir's response to the thuggery.

The House of Commons is currently not sitting as a result of summer recess, with MPs not set to return until September 2

The MP for Clacton said: “In the short term, we will quell the riots, but deeper longer-term problems remain. Ever since the soft-policing of the Black Lives Matter protests, the impression of two-tier policing has become widespread. The Prime Minister’s faltering attempts to address the current crisis have only added to that sense of injustice.

“The majority of our population can see the fracturing of our communities as a result of mass, uncontrolled immigration, whether legal or illegal.

“Yet to attempt to debate this in the public arena leads to immediate howls of condemnation. A population explosion without integration was always going to end badly. I have said this for many years.

“We must have a more honest debate about these vital issues and give people the confidence that there are political solutions that are relevant to them. A recall of Parliament would be an appropriate start to this.”

Former Home Secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “The Prime Minister has a moral obligation to recall Parliament

“The rapid escalation in violence we have witnessed in towns and cities across our country in recent days has been shocking and unacceptable. The British public have every right to be concerned at the appalling levels of civil unrest which has taken place and they need to be reassured that the Government is doing all it can to get a grip on this situation.

“That’s why I am calling for the Prime Minister to recall Parliament.”

Labour’s own MPs Diane Abbott and Dawn Butler also backed the calls.

Ms Abbott, the longest-serving female MP, said “we don’t know” what ministers are doing to tackle rioting on Britain’s streets.

Asked whether the Government is doing enough, the Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP told the BBC: “We don’t know what they’re doing.

“That’s why we need Parliament so they can be questioned on it.

“This is an extraordinarily grave situation. You’ve got people trying to burn down hostels where asylum seekers are cowering. You’ve got people attacking black and Muslim people on the street.

“We need to be able to question ministers on what exactly is being done and we want to speak up for our communities. These are racist anti-immigrant riots, and we need proper debate and proper analysis in the House of Commons.”

Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to the Commons, added that “unless there is a serious analysis of what is happening” she believes “there is no sign of these anti-immigrant incidents abating”.

Other MPs such as Ian Byrne and Zarah Sultana simply tweeted “Recall Parliament”.

Sir Keir said his focus was on ensuring police are able to carry out their duties, when asked if a recall of Parliament was needed in the wake of the riots.

The Prime Minister, who has had several meetings with ministers and police chiefs in recent days, told broadcasters: “My focus is on ensuring we have got the right people carrying out their duties to ensure that our streets are safe.

“For the public that is the first duty of Government and that is where my absolute focus is.”

Pressed on the matter, Sir Keir added: “My focus is on making sure that we stop this disorder, that the criminal sanctions are swift and be seen to be followed.”

Several countries have issued safety warnings to their citizens in the UK due to the riots.

Nigeria, Malaysia and Indonesia have sent out alerts telling people living or visiting to stay away from riots.

The majority of people in all three countries are Muslim. Much of the criminality has included racist and anti-Islamic sentiment, with mosques targeted.

Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood said: “The far-right thuggery we have witnessed on our streets is completely unacceptable and contrary to the British notion of rule of law.

“The Prime Minister has been clear from the outset that those involved should expect to face the full force of our justice system.

“My message to anyone who chooses to take part in this violence is simple. The police, courts and prisons stand ready and you will face the consequences of these appalling acts.”