Angela Rayner brands rioting in Southport 'disgraceful'
This Morning viewers have been left unimpressed by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's statement about the horrific attacks in Southport which saw three young girls lose their lives.
She appeared on Wednesday's edition of the ITV show, where she was interviewed by Dermot O'Leary and Rochelle Humes, and told the presenters "the speculation and some of the untruths that are being put around social media" were "creating tensions and fear in the community".
She added this was "disrespectful to families that want those answers" and not "helpful for anyone." Viewers took to X to fume about her appearance. @clareypotter asked: "Why have her on the show. She’s as useful as a chocolate tea pot."
@LondonsThunder raged: "Angela Rayner pretending to care about the poor victims of Southport then moving swiftly on to how bad it got last night without divulging into the fact of a man turned up to cut people at the vigil. This country’s f***ed."
However @hol40900 agreed wth her words writing "'Disgraceful' and 'disrespectful' indeed, @AngelaRayner. The rioting in #Southport is a heartbreaking response to tragedy. Let's take a step back, allow the police to investigate, and seek justice for the families affected."
She appeared on the show to discuss Labour’s landslide victory in the recent general election but took a moment at the beginning of the chat to express her sorrow for the victims of Southport.
"It's horrific and the whole nation is shocked at the violence against young children, and the heroic efforts of the adults who were there trying to care for the young people and the way the community came and the emergency services who tried to help…," she said.
"To see that level of violence, it's sickening. Most people can’t comprehend ‘why’, their community are asking why, and we have to let the police do their job now. What’s horrifying for me as well is when people of Southport went to a vigil, people outside of Southport went to Southport to create violence on the streets… 39 police officers were injured; it’s just disgraceful and not the way we do things in this country,” she continued referring to the riots after protestors attacked a mosque during the vigil.
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“There’s a culture now where people want to instantly get the facts, but actually, it's important that the police and those doing the work are able to carry out that work.
"It’s important for justice because we have law and order in the UK and it’s important the authorities can establish the facts. But, speculation and some of the untruths that are being put around social media are not only creating tensions and fear in the community, but it's disrespectful to families that want those answers... It's not helpful for anyone.
"My plea is to step back, that information will come, but allow the police and authorities to do their work and keep in mind the victims and the families that are at the heart of this trauma,” she implored.
This Morning is on ITV weekdays at 10am.
