Politics latest: 'No justification' for Elon Musk's comments about UK riots, says No 10 (2024)

It feels like a long time ago already, but one of the big talking points during the general election was the sewage scandal.

The amount of filth and waste ending up in Britain's rivers and seas was especially critical to the Liberal Democrat campaign, helping the party gain many traditional Tory seats in southern England.

It's clearly an issue that's going to stick around, after a new poll found nearly eight in 10 dog owners who visit UK beaches are put off letting their pets into the sea because of the risk of sewage.

The survey was carried out for the Lib Dems by pollster Savanta.

The UK's sewage scandal explained:

Sir Ed Davey's party described the data as a "national scandal", as they call for bonuses for water company bosses to be banned and a new industry regulator with greater powers.

The party's MP for Winchester, Danny Chambers, who's also a vet, said: "The new government must save our dogs from the sewage crisis.

"Reports from across the country of dogs becoming sick after swimming in the sea are truly shocking, and frankly this is a national scandal."

The government is proposing legislation that would put offending companies under special measures, and boost regulation to hold firms to higher standards.

The prime minister has said he is "deeply saddened" by the violence gripping Bangladesh, forcing his counterpart to flee her homeland.

Sheikh Hasina flew to India on a military helicopter as protesters in Bangladesh stormed her official residence.

It followed the death of almost 300 people during weeks-long protests, which began with students unhappy about a quota system for government jobs and spiralled out of control.

Sir Keir Starmer's spokesperson said he hopes "democracy prevails".

"I hope swift action is taken to ensure democracy prevails and accelerate the process towards peace and security for people in Bangladesh."

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced last week she was accepting pay recommendations for public sector employees - offering many a 5.5% raise.

This includes teachers.

Today, the head of the National Education Union has encouraged his members to accept the government's offer.

General secretary Daniel Kebede described it as a "significant first step towards a long-term correction in teacher pay".

A "snap poll" will be held next month on whether to agree to the government's terms.

Sir Keir Starmer says police will have access to a "standing army of specialist officers" to deal with the riots, following a COBRA meeting.

The standing army consists of officers "ready to be deployed to support communities", he says.

Criminal justice will be "ramped up", he adds, with the PM requesting the earliest identification of those involved.

He says he has also been assured that criminality online is being tackled as seriously as offline.

"We will have a standing army of specialist officers, public duty officers, so that we will have enough to deal with this."

'This is pure violence'

Sir Keir says: "This is not protest - it is pure violence, and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities."

Asked about calls to recall parliament, Sir Keir says his focus is on making sure "our streets are safe".

Responding to accusations from Reform UK of so-called "two-tier policing", Sir Keir says: "There is no two-tier policing. There is policing without fear or favour, exactly as it should be. So that is a non-issue."

At a briefing with journalists this lunchtime, Downing Street has denied ministers are discussing recalling parliament.

Multiple MPs, including Nigel Farage, have called for the Commons to be reconvened in light of the riots.

A Number 10 spokesperson said the government was focused on responding to the incidents.

But asked if they would rule out a recall of parliament, the spokesperson said they would not "get ahead" of developments.

In order to recall parliament, the Speaker of the House of Commons needs to be asked to do so by the government.

The spokesperson was also asked if the riots had been Islamophobic, and why Sir Keir Starmer had not used that word.

Downing Street said attacks on mosques were clearly Islamophobic - and said they were "looking closely" at whether a specific crime for Islamophobia was needed.

One of the issues raised in the wake of the riots over the weekend was social media.

Elon Musk, the owner of X, posted "civil war is inevitable" in response to someone blaming migration for the riots.

Asked about this, a Downing Street spokesperson said there was "no justification" for such comments.

Social media firms 'can do more'

They added the government is working with social media platforms to ensure disinformation is removed - but that more could be done.

Social media companies have a responsibility to ensure disinformation is removed, and they will be held to account, they added.

Asked if there was evidence of foreign state actors being involved, for example Russia, the spokesperson said there had been bot activity which may well have been amplified by state actors.

For more on the riots, tap on the link below:

This morning's Politics Hub coverage has been dominated by the political fallout from the weekend's riots.

Here's what you need to know:

• The prime minister has held his first COBRA meeting since taking office, bringing together his cabinet and other leading figures - including police chiefs who are responding to the riots;
• The head of the Metropolitan Police was among those who attended and didn't respond kindly to questions on his way out around accusations of "two-tier policing" when it comes to different kinds of protests;
• Sir Mark Rowley grabbed a Sky journalist's microphone, pulling part of it off and dropping it to the ground;
• The "two-tier policing" claims have come most notably from Nigel Farage, who claimed Black Lives Matter protests had been policed more lightly.

• Sir Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure to recall parliament, so MPs can discuss the crisis, including from Mr Farage, Priti Patel, and Diane Abbott;
• Ms Patel and fellow Tories have accused the government of responding too slowly amid the violence, though the former home secretary has dismissed those allegations of "two-tier policing";
• "There is a clear difference between effectively blocking streets or roads being closed, to burning down libraries, hotels, food banks and attacking places of worships," she said;
• The government has also faced calls to deploy the army to help police, though ministers have so far ruled this out;
• Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has said those involved in the riots face a "reckoning", with more arrests and charges to come.

That's all for now - stay with us for more political news and analysis, and check out our dedicated blog on the riots via the link above.

Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, has left this morning's COBRA meeting in Whitehall.

Shabanah Mahmood, the justice secretary, has also departed.

As he left, Sir Mark grabbed a Sky News journalist's microphone and dropped it to the ground.

The Met Police chief was being asked whether we were "going to see an end to two-tier policing" when it happened.

'Two-tier policing'?

It comes after Reform's Nigel Farage claimed Black Lives Matter protesters were dealt with more favourably by police - a stance which was quickly ridiculed by Tory leadership hopeful Priti Patel.

"There is a clear difference between effectively blocking streets or roads being closed, to burning down libraries, hotels, food banks and attacking places of worships," said the former home secretary.

Our political correspondent Tamara Cohen says Sir Mark had clearly responded "very angrily" to the two-tier policing suggestion.

Sky News has contacted the Met for comment.

A group of five independent MPs have written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to "request an urgent meeting" after the recent riots.

The letter was signed by Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, Iqbal Mohamed, Jeremy Corbyn and Shockat Adam.

They wrote: "When people are under attack for the colour of their skin and their faith, government references to 'understandable fears' send mixed messages and only give succour to those seeking to sow hatred and division."

The added: "We reject any narrative that seeks to blame asylum seekers and immigrant communities for the decades of austerity and the subsequent decline in stable and well paid jobs that has eroded the fabric of once secure communities."