LONDON: With far-right protests planned for Wednesday and thousands of riot police deployed across Britain to deal with the threat of riots, a survey on the British public’s views on the riots and the response from Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his government shows widespread disdain for their handling of the situation.

Published by YouGov, the survey shows that the British public overwhelmingly condemns the riots and holds mixed views on the broader protests. However, Labour under Starmer faces significant criticism for its handling of the crisis.

The survey reveals that the vast majority of Britons oppose the riots. An overwhelming 85pc of respondents denounce the violent unrest, with 7pc expressing support. Even the broader peaceful protests only garner support from one-third of the population (34pc), while over half (54pc) are against them. This opposition is widespread across all voter groups, with even Reform UK voters, the most supportive group, showing only 21pc approval for the riots.

Only 8pc of Britons resonate with the rioters’ views. Moreover, the public firmly believes that the rioters do not represent the majority, with 76pc asserting they do not reflect the views of most Britons.

YouGov poll finds over one-third of Britons agree with far-right being characterised as ‘thugs’

Keir Starmer’s characterisation of the rioters as “far-right thugs” has sparked debate. However, a significant portion of the public agrees with this description. Two-thirds (67pc) find the term ‘thugs’ appropriate, and 52pc support labeling them as ‘far-right’. Yet, the public remains divided on whether the rioters should be considered ‘terrorists’, with only 23pc endorsing this label.

The survey also indicates dissatisfaction with Labour’s management of the crisis. Only 31pc believe that Keir Starmer is handling the riots well, whereas nearly half (49pc) think he is doing poorly. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper fares similarly, with 23pc approving her handling of the situation against 43pc who disapprove. Labour and Lib Dem voters tend to have a positive view of how well Starmer and Cooper are handling the crisis, while Conservative and Reform UK voters are generally critical

While a slight majority (52pc) believe the police are handling the riots well, confidence in their ability to prevent further violence is low. Only 38pc express confidence in the police’s capacity to protect people and property.

Deployment, convictions

The government, only one month old, has vowed to take a tough line on the unrest.

At least 6,000 specialist police are on standby to deal with the disorder, which has seen more than 425 people arrested and at least 120 charged, according to latest police figures.

A 19-year-old man became the first person to receive a prison sentence for the unrest when he was jailed for two months, PA Media reported.

Another man was convicted after he admitted assaulting a police officer outside a hotel for asylum seekers in Rotherham, northern England, on Sunday.

A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to committing violent disorder in Liverpool on Saturday after he was identified from a TikTok video. A man in Leeds admitted posting threatening words on Facebook to stir up racial hatred.

Police have blamed the disorder on people associated with the now-defunct English Defence League (EDL), a far-right Islamophobic organisation founded 15 years ago, whose supporters have been linked to football hooliganism.

Criticism against Starmer

In a comment for The Telegraph, former Labour MP Tom Harris wrote that Starmer is failing his first major test. “

Political commentator and Guardian columnist Owen Jones posted, “Nobody is saying Keir Starmer is single handedly responsible for far right violence. They are saying Labour is riddled with Islamophobia, and it’s Muslims at the forefront of saying this, many of whom abandoned Labour a month ago.”

Rivkah Brown of Novara Media tweeted, “Keir Starmer wants you to believe the rioters are a “mindless” fringe that’s erupted out of nowhere. In fact they’re a symptom of the racist rot in the heart of the British establishment, which he and his party have helped to foment for years.”

John Hayes, who was injured tackling the Southport suspect, told the BBC that he’s ‘dismayed’ by Starmer’s response to the riots. “They need to address the cause rather than the symptoms.”

In response to a tweet about jail sentences for a rioter, Starmer tweeted on Wednesday, “This is the swift action we’re taking. If you provoke violent disorder on our streets or online, you will face the full force of the law.”-

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2024