MPs from across the political spectrum have demanded the recall of Parliament in the face of rioting on Britain’s streets.
Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel, Labour MPs including Diane Abbott and Dawn Butler, and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage have all called for the Commons to cut short its recess as the country endured another night of violence on Sunday.
But Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said Parliament would not be recalled “right now”.
Speaking to Times Radio, Tory leadership contender Dame Priti said the country was seeing “extraordinary criminality”.
She said: “We now need to, in my view, as politicians, get some kind of grip on this, which is why I am calling for the recall of Parliament right now so that we can actually discuss these issues.”
Former home secretary Priti Patel said Parliament should be recalled as it was during the 2011 riots (Victoria Jones/PA)
Dame Priti compared the situation to the 2011 riots, when Parliament was recalled to debate the response to disorder, adding there were “many practical things” that could be achieved by recalling MPs.
She said: “Local authorities are now under pressure, the police are under pressure to do more effectively, we need to find out what more do they need.”
Several back bench Labour MPs have also urged the recall of Parliament.
Veteran MP Ms Abbott tweeted: “Nationwide anti-immigrant riots on a scale never seen before. Threatening life, property and our police force. We need to recall Parliament.”
Brent East MP Ms Butler said: “It may be time to recall Parliament. This violence needs to stop.
“PM is right arrests must be swift. We must also tackle the causes of this violence which is as simple as it is complex. Some uncomfortable truths must be addressed.”
Others such as Ian Byrne and Zarah Sultana simply tweeted “Recall Parliament”.
Also demanding the recall of Parliament, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the country needed to have “a more honest debate” about immigration, integration and policing to “give people the confidence that there are political solutions that are relevant to them”.
But speaking to LBC on Monday morning, the Home Secretary said: “That’s not what we’re doing right now. What we’re doing right now is keeping in close contact with MPs.”
Parliament has only been recalled from recess six times in the past decade – once in 2016 to pay tribute to Labour MP Jo Cox after her murder by a far-right terrorist, on three occasions in 2020 and 2021 to debate issues related to the pandemic, again in April 2021 to pay tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh after his death, and most recently in August 2021 after the fall of Kabul.