Nigel Farage has doubled down on his claims of two-tier policing in Britain following the stabbing murder of student Henry Nowak in Southampton. The Reform UK leader faced intense criticism from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan after accusing police of prioritising ethnic minorities over white victims in their response.
Farage Repeats Police Bias Claims
On Wednesday night, Farage told his social media followers the police have become “obsessed with DEI” and treat white people differently from minority ethnic groups. He said his videos on the issue have been viewed by tens of millions and that he broke a “wall of silence” by speaking out, accusing senior politicians of silence on the murder.
Calls For End To Divisive
Farage linked the violent unrest in Southampton on Tuesday to what he calls systemic unequal policing. He warned that the public’s trust in police is at risk unless the UK government ends what he describes as “two-tier policing,” demanding assurances from the Prime Minister that all communities will be treated equally by law enforcement.
Backlash From Political Leaders
Prime Minister Starmer condemned Farage’s statements for exploiting the victim’s family’s grief. Starmer said: “To appeal for rage when the family asked for calm is unforgivable.” Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch added Farage’s approach was unstatesmanlike, urging instead for “courage and cool heads” rather than anger and division.
Context of Henry Nowak Case
Henry Nowak’s attacker, Vickrum Digwa, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 21 years this week. Farage compared the police’s handling of this case to an incident involving a Sikh man, asserting that accusations of racial slurs are treated more seriously than murder, reinforcing his claims of unequal policing.