The UK must face down extremists who are trying to “deliberately” undermine the country’s “multi-faith democracy”, Rishi Sunak has warned.
The PM said Islamists and the far-right were “two sides of the same extremist coin” who hated Britain.
He also expressed concern about the frequent protests taking place in response to the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Mr Sunak spoke at a lectern outside No 10, a set up usually reserved for big announcements such as elections. He had already given his response to the Rochdale by-election, saying earlier in the day that the campaign had been one of the most divisive in recent times and praising the Tory candidate’s positive message.
But only a few hours later he decided, outside Downing Street, to take aim at George Galloway, saying it was “beyond alarming” that voters in Rochdale had returned a candidate who he said had “dismissed what happened on 7 October” in Israel.
He used strong rhetoric on extremism, warning of “forces here at home trying to tear us apart” – but he did not repeat the phrase ‘mob rule’ that he had used in a statement following a meeting with police on Wednesday in Street.
Instead he referred to “small groups” hijacking protests. He was careful to mention both Islamist and far-right extremism, as well as condemning antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred.
He made little mention of law changes beyond a message to police that he would back them taking action at protests.
Mr Galloway said after the prime minister’s speech: “My views are my views and they were endorsed by the electorate.
“I won and people are going to have to get use to it.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the prime minister was right to “advocate unity and to condemn the unacceptable and intimidatory behaviour that we have seen recently”.
He added: “This is something agreed across the parties and which we should all defend.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “The British people will take no lessons from a prime minister and Conservative party who have sowed the seeds of division for years. SNP MP Alison Thewliss said Mr Sunak had “repeatedly, and very deliberately, sought to stoke up divisions, pander to the far-right and pit communities against each other for electoral gain”.
However, he did not set out details of any new policies.
