PM slams Tory leader candidates' Southport comments

The premier curate has criticised some Conservative enactment candidates for casting uncertainty connected the constabulary and government’s effect to the Southport onslaught that near 3 young girls dead.

Tory enactment hopeful Robert Jenrick has suggested accusation connected the onslaught was "concealed", portion his rival Kemi Badenoch argued that the government, constabulary and prosecutors "have questions to answer".

This follows the revelation 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana, who is accused of murdering the 3 girls, was charged with 2 further offences - including 1 nether the Terrorism Act.

Sir Keir warned MPs they “can either enactment the constabulary successful their hard work” connected the Southport lawsuit oregon “undermine” it.

During his play Prime Minister's Questions session, Sir Keir told a packed House of Commons: “It is important constabulary and prosecutors are capable to bash their hard job.

"All of america person a prime to make, including those moving to beryllium Conservative leader, they tin either enactment the constabulary successful their hard task oregon they tin undermine the constabulary successful their hard task, and I cognize what broadside I americium on.”

Badenoch was successful the Commons to perceive the comments.

Sir Keir was responding to a question from Reform UK's lawman person Richard Tice, who called for the constabulary to beryllium much unfastened astir investigations.

Reform UK person Nigel Farage faced disapproval aft the Southport killings for questioning the police's appraisal of the attacks.

Following the revelations astir the other charges against Mr Rudakubana, Farage released a video claiming "perhaps I was close each along".

On Wednesday, Mr Rudakubana appeared successful tribunal charged with accumulation of the poison ricin and possession of a subject survey of the Al Qaeda grooming manual, an offence nether coercion legislation.

Counter Terrorism Police are not presently treating the Southport onslaught itself arsenic a violent incident.

The teen had already been charged with the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar who died astatine a Taylor Swift-themed creation people connected 29 July.

A provisional proceedings day for Mr Rudakubana has been acceptable for January.

Following reports of the caller charges, Jenrick told ITV News helium wanted answers connected “when the premier curate knew”.

“The authorities should not beryllium lying to its ain citizens," helium said.

Asked if helium thought the authorities had lied, Jenrick said: “We don’t cognize the crushed wherefore this accusation has been concealed.

"Why has it taken months for the constabulary to acceptable retired basal facts astir this lawsuit that it is tenable to judge were known wrong hours oregon days of this incidental occurring?”

In a societal media station Badenoch said determination were “serious questions to beryllium asked of the police, the [Crown Prosecution Service] and besides of Keir Starmer’s effect to the full situation”.

She said: “Parliament is the close spot for this to happen.

“While we indispensable abide by the rules of contempt of tribunal and not prejudice this case, it is important that determination is due scrutiny.”

The BBC understands elder figures successful government archetypal became alert of the anticipation of caller charges against the fishy successful the Southport murders successful the past fewer weeks.

A spokesperson for the premier curate said it was "not correct" to accidental the authorities had been progressive successful withholding facts from the public.

The CPS said it has taken clip to bring the charges due to the fact that this was a "lengthy and analyzable investigation".

Ahead of PMQs, House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle warned MPs of the hazard of earnestly prejudicing transgression proceedings by commenting connected the probe successful the Commons.

While members mightiness beryllium frustrated astatine not being capable to remark helium said: “More importantly astatine the bosom of this lawsuit are 3 young girls.

"We each went to spot justness for them and others affected by this appalling incident.”

The autarkic reviewer of coercion legislation, Jonathan Hall KC, told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme the authorities and constabulary should beryllium much unfastened astir transgression cases successful the aftermath of the row.

He said: "The authorities has to beryllium aware, and volition beryllium aware, that if determination is an accusation gap, peculiarly successful the mainstream media, past determination are different voices, peculiarly successful societal media, who volition effort and capable it."

The time aft the Southport attack, thousands attended a peaceful vigil successful the town, but a abstracted protestation aboriginal turned convulsive extracurricular a mosque.

This sparked a question of protests crossed galore towns and cities successful the pursuing days, starring to unit and rioting, peculiarly against asylum centre hotels.

More than 1,000 radical person been arrested, and hundreds person been charged and sentenced to jail.