Arabic version: رئيس الوزراء ينتقد فاراج لاستغلاله مأساة نوك في السياسة
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned Nigel Farage for allegedly exploiting the death of Henry Nowak to create “grievance and division”, as political tensions escalated in the House of Commons. The remarks follow Farage’s assertion that the public should respond with “pure, cold rage” over police actions during the incident, where Nowak was fatally stabbed.
According to BBC News, Farage claimed that Nowak’s murder was indicative of “two-tier policing,” referring to anti-racism guidelines that he argued led police to treat individuals differently based on ethnicity. The Reform UK leader’s comments came after Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years for Nowak’s murder, having falsely reported that he was the victim of a racist attack.
In a heated exchange during Prime Minister’s Questions, Sunak expressed shock at Farage’s remarks, emphasizing that the grieving family had requested that their tragedy not be used to incite societal division. He stated, “Exploiting this tragedy to create grievance and division would be wrong in any circumstances. But to do it when the family are expressly saying ‘please don’t’ is unforgivable. It shows exactly who he is.”
Sunak’s condemnation was echoed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who criticized Farage’s response as disappointing. Badenoch urged that Nowak’s case should serve as a reminder that every life matters and that politicians should work to unite rather than divide.
The incident has prompted a review of police anti-racism guidelines, with the organization representing police chiefs in England and Wales considering changes to language in the Police Anti-Racism Commitment document. This review comes as Policing Minister Sarah Jones expressed concern that the document’s wording may mislead the public.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also called for a careful response from politicians, insisting that Nowak’s murder should not become a “political football.” The discourse surrounding the case continues to unfold as the community grapples with the implications of the tragedy.
