‘Totally Appalled’: Farage Calls For Honest Debate On Immigration As UK Cities Suffer

Expressing outrage over the “far-right” violence in major British cities, British lawmaker Nigel Farage has called for a more honest debate in Parliament in the wake of the nationwide protests over immigration.

The condemnation comes as the British government is set to hold an emergency response meeting on Monday after riots broke out across the country over the weekend following the murder of three children last week.

“I have been totally appalled by the levels of violence seen in the last couple of days,” Farage said in a statement. “The levels of intimidation and threat to life have no place in a functioning democracy,” he added. Farage, the leader of the Reform Party, stressed the need for political solutions that resonate with the public.

“We must have a more honest debate about these vital issues and give people the confidence that there are political solutions that are relevant to them. A recall of Parliament would be an appropriate start to this,” he added. The unrest in England has been fueled by protests linked to the murder of three children earlier this week, which have escalated into widespread riots.

In his statement, Farge also targetted Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying, “Ever since the soft policing of the Black Lives Matter protests, the impression of two-tier policing has become widespread. The Prime Minister’s faltering attempts to address the current crisis have only added to that sense of injustice.”

The situation turned violent over the weekend, with masked anti-immigration demonstrators clashing with police and vandalising a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. Rioters forced their way into the Holiday Inn Express, and ten police officers were injured during the chaos.

On Sunday, Starmer warned far-right protesters that they would “regret” their involvement in the violence, which has become the worst seen in the country in 13 years. “I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder,” Starmer said in a televised address, condemning what he termed “far-right thuggery.”

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In multiple British towns and cities, protesters clashed with police, throwing bricks and other projectiles. The unrest has led to over 150 arrests since Saturday, with reports of looting and shop burnings across the country. The violence is reminiscent of the riots in summer 2011, which followed the police killing of a mixed-race man in London. As tensions rise, the government has deployed additional police forces to manage the situation.

(With agency inputs)