Closing summary
Rishi Sunak has claimed extremist groups in the UK are “trying to tear us apart”, in a hastily arranged Downing Street statement hours after George Galloway won a byelection in Rochdale.
The prime minister condemned what he called “a shocking increase in extremist disruption and criminality” after the 7 October massacre by Hamas and the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
He also claimed democracy itself was a target, as he condemned the election of Galloway, who easily won the seat in Rochdale on a platform that focused on anti-Israel sentiment over Gaza.
In a sometimes rambling and seemingly contradictory 10-minute address, Sunak made points likely to anger MPs on the right of the Conservative party such as Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick, who have sought to frame recent tensions as almost entirely the responsibility of Islamist extremists.
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Galloway says he does not understand claim he 'glorifies Hezbollah' and challenges Sunak to discuss it with him
George Galloway said he did not understand Rishi Sunak’s suggestions that he “glorifies Hezbollah” but hoped they could discuss it on Wednesday if the prime minister “has the guts”.
Sunak said the newly-elected MP for Rochdale “dismisses the horror of what happened on 7 October”, “glorifies Hezbollah” and is “endorsed by Nick Griffin, the racist former leader of the BNP”.
“I’m not responsible for whoever declares they endorse me … I’ve never met Mr Griffin and have no intention to,” Mr Galloway told Channel 5 News. “I don’t know what the glorifying of Hezbollah is all about but maybe he can tell me on Wednesday at Prime Minister’s Questions if he’s got the guts.”
Galloway added that he “abhors extremism just as much as [Sunak]” and “also agreed with him when he said change can only come through the democratic process”.
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The SNP MP Alison Thewliss has accused the Tory party of stoking up the culture war that has led to the extremism Rishi Sunak says he wants to stamp out.
“The Tories are the architects of the culture war in the UK - and Rishi Sunak has spent his whole time in office promoting it,” she said. “The prime minister has repeatedly, and very deliberately, sought to stoke up divisions, pander to the far-right and pit communities against each other for electoral gain.
“Whether it’s attacking refugees, insulting LGBT people, or failing to call out Lee Anderson’s Islamophobia for what it is - this is an attempt to rewrite history and people in Scotland see through it.
“If the Tory government now wants to bring people together, it must start by changing its own record of divisive language and policies. For people in Scotland, the best way to end these culture wars is to make Scotland Tory-free by voting SNP.”
Tories have sown 'division for years', Lib Dem leader says
The Liberal Democrat leader has, in effect, accused Rishi Sunak of hypocrisy, saying the prime minister’s promotion of some Conservative MPs who have made controversial remarks has “sowed the seeds of division for years”.
“The British people will take no lessons from a prime minister and Conservative party who have sowed the seeds of division for years,” said Sir Ed Davey. “This is the same prime minister who made Suella Braverman his home secretary and Lee Anderson his party’s deputy chairman.
“If the prime minister is serious about bringing people together, he would call a general election now so that the British public can decide the future of our country.”
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Citizens have a right to go about their business without intimidation, Starmer says
The Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to back Sunak’s message calling for unity in the country.
In a statement, he said: “The prime minister is right to advocate unity and to condemn the unacceptable and intimidatory behaviour that we have seen recently. It is an important task of leadership to defend our values and the common bonds that hold us together.
“Citizens have a right to go about their business without intimidation and elected representatives should be able to do their jobs and cast their votes without fear or favour. This is something agreed across the parties and which we should all defend.”
Sunak has been criticised by political opponents recently for failing to tackle “extremism” within his own party. He made no reference to that row as he addressed the broader issue of extremism in the UK.
Coming closest to announcing some form of concrete action during his 10-minute speech, Sunak says:
If we are asking more of the police, we in government must also back up that call with action. To that end, this month, the government will implement a new, robust framework for how it deals with this issue to ensure that we’re dealing with the root causes of this problem, and that no extremist organisations or individuals are being lent legitimacy by their actions and interactions with central government.
You cannot be part of our civic life. If your agenda is to tear it down. We will redouble our support for the Prevent programme to stop young minds being poisoned by extremism. We will demand that universities stop extremist activity on campus.
We will also act to prevent people entering this country whose aim is to undermine its values. The home secretary has instructed that if those here on visas choose to spew hate, or protest, or seek to intimidate people, we will remove their right to be here.
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It’s notable that, when speaking in very general terms, Sunak explicitly calls out both “Islamists” and the “far-right” as extremist threats to the UK – indicating he perhaps wants to calm tensions across the board.
But, when he picks out specific examples of behaviour he feels are unacceptable, he focuses solely on pro-Palestine demonstrations. He has said:
I respect that the police have a tough job in policing the protests we have seen and that they are operationally independent. But we must draw a line.
Yes, you can march and protest with passion. You can demand the protection of civilian life. But no, you cannot call for violent jihad. There is no context in which it can be acceptable to beam antisemitic tropes on to Big Ben in the middle of a vote on Israel, Gaza. And there can be no cause that you can use to justify the support of a proscribed terrorist group like Hamas.
And yes, you can freely criticise the actions of this government – or, indeed, any government – that is a fundamental democratic right. But no, you cannot use that as an excuse to call for the eradication of a state or any kind of hatred, or antisemitism.
This week, I’ve met with senior police officers and made clear it is the public’s expectation that they will not merely manage these protests, but police them. I say this to the police. We will back you when you take action.
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In his time as prime minister, Sunak has devoted much of his political energy to attacking inward immigration, and conflating it with people seeking asylum. Yet he has used his speech to talk at length about how immigration has benefited the country.
Britain is a patriotic liberal democratic society with a proud past and a bright future. We’re a reasonable country and a decent people. Our story is one of progress of great achievements and enduring values.
Immigrants who have come here have integrated and contributed. They have helped write the latest chapter in our island story. They have done this without being required to give up their identity.
You can be a practising Hindu and a proud Briton, as I am, or a devout Muslim and a patriotic citizen, as so many are, or a committed Jewish person and the heart of your local community.
And all underpinned by the tolerance of our established Christian church. We are a country where we love our neighbours and we are building Britain together.
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Galloway victory 'beyond alarming', Sunak says
Sunak says Galloway’s victory is “beyond alarming”. He has said:
In recent weeks and months, we have seen a shocking increase in extremist disruption and criminality. What started as protests on our streets have descended into intimidation, threats and planned acts of violence.
Jewish children fearful to wear their school uniform lest it reveals their identity. Muslim women abused in the street for the actions of a terrorist group they have no connection with.
Now, our democracy itself is a target. Council meetings and local events have been stormed. MPs do not feel safe in their homes. Longstanding parliamentary conventions have been upended because of safety concerns.
And it’s beyond alarming that last night, the Rochdale byelection returned a candidate that dismisses the horror of what happened on 7 October, who glorifies Hezbollah and is endorsed by Nick Griffin, the racist former leader of the BNP.
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Sunak says extremist groups are a growing threat to British democracy
Rishi Sunak is speaking outside No 10. He says there’s a growing threat to British democracy – and refers explicitly to the election of George Galloway in the Rochdale byelection last night.
The prime minister talks up the tolerance of the “pluralist, modern” country he says the UK is, but says this is under threat from people looking to capitalise on Hamas’ attacks on Israel, and the resulting assault on Gaza, to undermine British values.
He names Islamist extremists and the far-right, calling them “two sides of the same extremist coin”.
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The prime minister is due to make his speech at 5.45pm GMT and it’s set to address events in parliament last week after the Speaker changed parliamentary convention due to concerns for the safety of MPs.
Fears about MPs being targeted by demonstrators have grown in recent months, particularly among those who have called for an end to the fighting in Gaza.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle cited security concerns as a reason for his decision to overturn parliamentary convention by granting a vote on a Labour amendment to an SNP Gaza motion last week.
The speech from the PM after George Galloway won the Rochdale by-election on Friday, running on a pro-Palestinian ticket.
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Rishi Sunak to make Downing Street speech about 'need to protect democratic processes'
Rishi Sunak is planning to make public remarks from Downing Street on Friday evening, No 10 officials have said.
“The prime minister’s address will touch on recent events, including in parliament last week, and the need to protect our democratic processes,” Downing Street said in a statement.
