Trending
Yvette Cooper warns hostile states could be whipping up rioters
Yvette Cooper today warned hostile states may be ‘amplifying’ online misinformation blamed for whipping up riots in the wake of the Southport stabbing attack.
The Home Secretary did not rule out foreign interference as one of the factors behind the outbreak of violent disorder on Britain’s streets.
But, following a fresh night of chaos across the country, Ms Cooper insisted the Government’s immediate focus was on clamping down on local groups.
She also issued another demand for social media companies to remove criminal material and hate-filled misinformation from their sites.
The Home Secretary called for tech bosses to hold ‘a sense of responsibility towards communities’ amid the far right violence.
Yvette Cooper warned hostile states may be ‘amplifying’ online misinformation blamed for whipping up riots in the wake of the Southport stabbing attack
A car burns on Parliament Road in Middlesbrugh after it was set alight by far right thugs
A man dressed in England and Union Jack flags faces police officers in Middlesbrough
Lord Walney, the Government’s adviser on political violence and disruption, has said far right actors are ‘almost certainly’ being ‘aided and abetted’ by hostile states.
He claimed they had helped ‘in creating and planning disinformation to put out false narratives’.
James Cleverly, Ms Cooper’s predecessor as home secretary, has also said the riots have ‘all the hallmarks’ of something that has partly been stoked from abroad.
Appearing on Sky News this morning, Ms Cooper was asked if she had similarly determined whether foreign states could be involved in helping sow the chaos.
‘We know that there can be amplification of social media activity,’ she replied.
‘I think our focus right now is on local groups and organisations, including some of those who are fulled by far right extremists.
‘But also those who were just local looters who came to join in and committed crimes and that is our focus right now.
‘To make sure they pay the price for their crimes.’
She added: ‘There is also an issue about the online criminality that we’ve seen and social media has clearly put rocket boosters under some of the organisation, the inflaming of tensions, and also the misinformation that was spread as well.
‘So we do also expect to see action against those who were posting criminal material online as well, and also to make sure the social media companies take some responsibility for this.
‘Because they have terms and conditions they have to meet in terms of both misinformation and also criminal material that is available online.’
Pressed about what action social media firms should be taking, the Home Secretary said it was ‘not acceptable’ they had scaled down efforts to tackle misinformation following the conclusion of the general election campaign.
‘They did have arrangements in place around removing misinformation during the general election campaign,’ she said.
‘Some of that has stopped – that’s not acceptable, they have terms and conditions that they should be meeting.
‘Some of this is around criminal material that they should be removing.
‘But they also actually just have to have a sense of responsibility towards communities where we’ve seen the consequences in certain towns and cities.
‘So we will be pursuing this with the social media companies.’
Mr Cleverly said, when he was home secretary, he knew of a ‘very pernicious online culture’ had been ‘amplified’ from beyond Britain’s borders.
‘I was well aware of a very pernicious online culture perpertrated by the far right, amplified both within the UK and beyond our borders,’ he told the TV news channel.
‘This has all the hallmarks of something which has been stoked by that.’
Controversial Nigerian singer Portable has splurged on a brand-new FORD F150 truck, flaunting his latest acquisition on Instagram.
In a video, Portable revealed that he topped up the N20 million given to him by Burna Boy after his victory over Speed Darlington in a celebrity boxing match.
The singer knocked out Speed Darlington in the first round of their highly publicized bout, held at the Balmoral Events Centre on April 19.
Burna Boy’s N20 million reward was a celebratory gesture for Portable’s impressive win. With some additional funds, Portable was able to purchase his sleek new ride.
Photo source: Instagram
BREAKING! India Orders All Pakistani Citizens To Leave Country
State Pension inheritance rule can boost payments by more than £5,000 – see if you qualify
Governorship Candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Anambra State, Sir Paul Chukwuma has nominated Chief Uzuegbunam Okagbue, the former Chief Protocol Officer and Deputy Chief of Staff to former Gov. Willie Obiano as his running mate in the November 8, 2025 Anambra governorship election
Trending6 months agoNYA demands release of ‘abducted’ Imo chairman, preaches good governance
- Business6 months ago
US court acquits Air Peace boss, slams Mayfield $4000 fine
Politics6 months agoMexico’s new president causes concern just weeks before the US elections
- Entertainment6 months ago
Bobrisky transferred from Immigration to FCID, spends night behind bars
- Entertainment6 months ago
Bobrisky falls ill in police custody, rushed to hospital
Politics6 months agoRussia bans imports of agro-products from Kazakhstan after refusal to join BRICS
Politics6 months agoPutin invites 20 world leaders
- Politics1 year ago
Nigerian Senate passes Bill seeking the establishment of the South East Development Commission.