With hotels being set alight by racist thugs, and destruction being wreaked across the UK, our senior politicians should be choosing their words carefully. However, Lord Davies of Gower – the Shadow Minister for Wales – has been forced to backtrack on Sunday evening.
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Shadow Minister backs rioters as ‘politically justified’ – before rowing back
The Tory representative ended up in a contentious exchange with Dan Hodges. The Mail commentator has been active on Twitter over the weekend, condemning the barbaric scenes erupting in places including Rotherham, Middlesbrough, and Tamworth.
Hotels hosting asylum seekers have been targeted by rioters – one of which was set on fire in Rotherham. Hooligans were also seen blocking the exits, but thanks to a stroke of good fortune, no casualties have been reported as a result.
Keir Starmer addressed the nation on Sunday, insisting that those involved in the widespread disruption ‘would regret it’. Within the next week, a spate of arrests and convictions linked to the race riots are expected – including those who have incited violence online.
What did Lord Davies say about the race riots?
It’s perhaps the final utterance that encouraged Lord Davies to change his tune. After Hodges rejected claims that the violence could be ‘politically justified’, the top Tory initially disagreed, and argued that Labour were to blame for ‘rejecting the Rwanda Bill’.
Apology issued by Shadow Minister, but Labour criticism reinforced
The spurious reasoning did not stand up to much scrutiny. Within an hour of Tweeting his statement, images of the Rotherham Holiday Inn being set ablaze horrified social media users and the wider public. After a few back-and-forths, Lord Davies eventually adjusted his tune.
“I apologise if earlier words have been misconstrued, particularly at such a sensitive time. To be crystal clear, I utterly condemn the violence in our cities. What I am criticising is Labour’s negative approach to immigration and organised crime. I stand by that.” | Lord Davies of Gower