An urgent Cobra conference is being chaired by the home secretary, Yvette Cooper, as concerns grow about the riots in Southport and far-Right violence in England and Northern Ireland.
She will meet relevant ministers and police representatives to discuss the Government’s response to the unrest in towns and cities across the country.
The Monday meeting follows a weekend of unrest in which anti-immigration rioters smashed the windows of a Holiday Inn, started fires and injured police officers.
Police responded to violent scenes in Rotherham, Middlesbrough, Bolton and other parts of England on Sunday.
What is a Cobra meeting?
According to the Institute for Government, the goal of a Cobra meeting is to talk about high-level coordination and decision-making during a crisis.
However, the prime minister of the day isn't required to attend a Cobra meeting, unlike a Cabinet meeting, which brings together frontbenchers and the PM.
Numerous events could trigger the crisis, such as severe industrial mishaps, natural disasters, terrorist attacks and public health risks such as the coronavirus pandemic.
Before the meeting Ms Cooper strongly criticised the “disgraceful scenes of criminal violence and thuggery” and vowed to deliver “swift justice” for the “unacceptable disorder”.
Former home secretary Priti Patel has called for Parliament to be recalled to deal with the outbreak of rioting across the UK.
The Cobra meeting will consider how the Government will ensure the far-right thugs will “face the full force of the law” as promised by the prime minister.
What does Cobra stand for?
Cobra is an abbreviation for a group of rooms located at 70 Whitehall, the Cabinet Office. The acronym COBR, which stands for Cabinet Office briefing room, may be used to refer to it occasionally.
The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre and the Security Service determine the terror threat, even though Cobra meetings may discuss it.
What do the Cabinet Office do?
The Cabinet Office is accountable for making sure that policies are developed, coordinated and carried out effectively and managing the UK's cyber security, assisting the Joint Intelligence Organisation and the National Security Council, and coordinating the government's crisis response.
They also encourage the public distribution of government data and increase the transparency of government operations.
When was the first Cabinet Office briefing room meeting?
In order to supervise the government's response to the 1972 miners' strike, the first Cobra meeting was held in the 1970s.
