Lee Anderson piles pressure on Jess Phillips to quit now over 'mob rule' on UK streets
Reform MP repeats demand for Home Office minister to resign after backlash over riot tweet.
Birmingham: Sky News reporter interrupted during disorder
Lee Anderson made a fresh call for Labour minister Jess Phillips to resign in a row over a tweet about riots.
The Home Office minister has come under fire after claiming counter-protesters who forced a live Sky News broadcast off air in Birmingham came out "because it has been spread that racists were coming to attack them".
But Mr Anderson, the Reform MP for Ashfield, wrote on X: "Message to Jess. As a Home Office Minister, you should know that it's the police's job to protect our streets, not a mob. That would be mob rule.
"If you think the mobs should police our streets then you must resign. What are you waiting for?"
The former Tory deputy chairman had already shared an earlier post calling on Ms Phillips to resign.
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He said: "You need to apologise for this and then resign. You're part of the problem not the solution. A disgusting tweet. What are you scared of? Losing votes?"
During a live Sky News broadcast yesterday, a man shouted "free Palestine, f*** the EDL” before a number of others approached presenter Becky Johnson as she reported on unrest in Birmingham amid reports of a far-right protest in the area.
Responding to the video, Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: "Starmer and Labour no doubt think these pro-Gaza masked folk are far right too? ….
"All violence, rioting and assault is totally unacceptable. Two-tier policing must stop."
But Ms Phillips, who is the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, replied: "These people came to this location because it has been spread that racists were coming to attack them. This misinformation was spread entirely to create this content. Don't spread it, Mr Tice!"
Her post has prompted shadow home secretary James Cleverly to accuse her of excusing their behaviour.
He said: "Home Office ministers should not be making excuses for masked men shouting, abusing, and intimidating members of the media.
"Ministers are not commentators or casual observers, they are decision makers and need to think about the consequences of their words and actions."
