Government on ‘high alert’ over violent disorder despite weekend easing

Ministers will remain on “high alert” over the violent disorder that swept through parts of Britain despite tensions appearing to subside over the weekend, Downing Street has said.

Police had been braced for further riots but no widespread unrest arose after a large turnout of anti-racism protesters and warnings that those involved could face 10-year prison sentences.

But Number 10 said on Monday that the Government was “not complacent” as “the work is not done” in dealing with the fallout from the violence.

We welcome that there has been a de-escalation this weekend. But we're certainly not complacent and remain on high alert

Sir Keir Starmer has cancelled a planned holiday to Europe in order to “ensure that we can respond to the disorder”, a spokeswoman said.

Meanwhile the Government confirmed rioters could spend less time behind bars amid efforts to cut prison overcrowding.

Officials said those involved in unrest will not be excluded from its plans to release some inmates from jail early, after serving 40% of their sentence.

On a visit to Hull on Monday, Transport Secretary Louise Haigh met British Transport Police officers and staff involved in responding to the violent disorder the city saw last week.

The Number 10 spokeswoman added: “We welcome that there has been a de-escalation this weekend.

“But we’re certainly not complacent and remain on high alert.

“We also recognise that the job is not done until people feel safe in their communities, but thanks to the work of our police officers, prosecutors … and judiciary, we have seen a swift response from the justice system.”

There continues to be a heavy focus on prosecuting those responsible for the disorder, which saw police officers attacked, mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers targeted, shops looted and community facilities torched.

Sir Keir will continue to have meetings and receive updates on the justice process this week, the spokeswoman said.

Far-right rallies and violence broke out in parts of the UK following the killing of three young girls in Southport after false claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in Britain by boat.

It comes after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned “shameful behaviour” from “some senior politicians and pundits who sought to undermine the legitimacy and authority of the police”.

In an article for the Daily Telegraph, she said respect for officers needed to be restored after the “brazen abuse and contempt” shown by rioters.

Ms Cooper did not name anyone specifically, though the Reform UK leadership along with X owner Elon Musk are among the most high-profile figures to have claimed the UK has “two-tier” policing.

As of Monday, 975 people had been arrested and 546 charged in the wake of the disorder, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said.

By comparison, in the wake of the August 2011 riots police made 4,105 arrests, according to a Home Office report published a month after the disorder broke out.

By October that year, 1,984 people had appeared in court, the document said.

This had risen to 3,103 one year on from the unrest, a Ministry of Justice report published in 2012 said.