Prime Minister Keir Starmer has criticised Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, for urging the public to respond to the murder of 17-year-old Henry Nowak with “pure cold rage”. In a pooled TV interview, Starmer described this as “the wrong reaction”, emphasising that Nowak’s family had asked for the situation not to be “whipped up”.
Starmer also revealed that he had watched body camera footage of Nowak’s arrest, during which he was handcuffed as he lay dying. “I felt sick watching it,” he said, speaking as a father of a 17-year-old boy. He confirmed that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is investigating the case, and said there are “serious questions” about how accusations of racism influenced decision-making.
When asked whether he agreed with Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s call for a Macpherson-style inquiry into police anti-racist culture, Starmer did not rule it out but said the IOPC should first complete its investigation. He reiterated that his thoughts were with Nowak’s family, describing their loss as “devastating”.
Separately, Downing Street confirmed that Starmer’s WhatsApp messages automatically delete from his smartphone, raising questions about the completeness of documents released regarding Peter Mandelson’s appointment. Starmer insisted he had complied with a humble address and passed over all messages he held.
