LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has canceled a planned holiday to focus on his government’s response to a series of racist riots that targeted Muslims and migrants, a Downing Street source said.
Thousands of police officers remained on duty over the weekend in case violence flared again although for a fourth day in a row on Saturday counter-protesters far outnumbered anti-migration demonstrators in several towns and cities.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Starmer would no longer be going on holiday next week.
His government has moved quickly to speed up the processing of people arrested and charged in relation to the riots.
On Friday, officials said 741 arrests had been made since the unrest broke out and 302 people had been charged.
Police have said arrests are likely to continue for months.
On Saturday, the National Police Chiefs’ Council, representing police leaders, said specialist officers had been ordered to pursue online offenders and influencers responsible for spreading hate and inciting violence on a large scale.
“Online crimes have real world consequences and you will be dealt with in the same way as those physically present and inflicting the violence,” Chris Haward, the NPCC’s lead for serious and organized crime, said.
At least two people were jailed in recent days for stirring up racial hatred in messages on social media.
The riots erupted after online posts falsely identified the suspected killer of three young girls in a knife attack on July 29 in Southport, northwest England, as an Islamist migrant.
King Charles on Friday made an appeal for mutual respect and understanding and welcomed the way that community groups had countered “the aggression and criminality from a few,” a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said.
UK’s Starmer scraps holiday to focus on response to riots
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UK’s Starmer scraps holiday to focus on response to riots
- Officials said 741 arrests had been made since the unrest broke out and 302 people had been charged
France demands EU-Mercosur trade pact signing be put off
- “France asks that the deadlines be pushed back to continue work on getting the legitimate measures of protection for our European agriculture,” said the statement
PARIS, France: France on Sunday urged the European Union to postpone the deadlines set for signing a free trade agreement with South American bloc Mercosur, rejecting the deal in its current form.
In a statement from Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office, Paris said the conditions were not in place for EU member states to vote on the agreement.
“France asks that the deadlines be pushed back to continue work on getting the legitimate measures of protection for our European agriculture,” said the statement.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is due in Brazil on Monday for talks to finalize the landmark pact with the Mercosur bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
But Brussels first has to get the approval of the EU member states over the coming week.
“Given a Mercosur summit is announced for December 20 (Saturday), it is clear in this context that the conditions have not been met for any vote (by states) on authorizing the signing of the agreement,” said the statement from Paris.
Earlier Sunday, in an interview published in the Germany financial daily Handelsblatt, France’s Finance Minister Roland Lescure made France’s objections clear.
“As it stands, the treaty is simply not acceptable,” he said.
Securing robust and effective safeguard clauses was one of the three key conditions France set before giving its blessing to the agreement, he added.
The other key points were requiring the same production standards faced by EU farmers and establishing “import controls.”
“Until we have obtained assurances on these three points, France will not accept the agreement,” said Lescure.
European nations are poised to vote on the trade agreement between Tuesday and Friday, according to EU sources.
The European Parliament votes Tuesday on safeguards to reassure farmers — particularly those in France — who are fiercely opposed to the treaty.
If approved, the EU-Mercosur agreement would create a common market of 722 million people.
It is intended to allow the EU to export more cars, machinery, wine, and other goods, and will also facilitate the entry into the European Union of beef, poultry, sugar, honey, and other products.
Farmers in France and some other European countries say it will create unfair competition due to less stringent standards, which they fear could destabilize already fragile European food sectors.
