Labour leader Keir Starmer will cut short a European meeting in Denmark to lead an emergency Cobra meeting following an attack on a synagogue in Manchester. Prime Minister expressed shock and dismay over the incident and announced the deployment of additional police resources to synagogues nationwide.
In a statement, Starmer condemned the attack at the synagogue in Crumpsall, particularly highlighting the timing on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. He extended his thoughts to the affected families and expressed gratitude to emergency services and first responders.
The Prime Minister’s visit to the European Political Community gathering in Copenhagen was curtailed after a violent incident where four individuals were harmed by a car ramming into the public and a man being stabbed near a synagogue. Greater Manchester Police confirmed two fatalities.
Law enforcement officers shot a man, believed to be the assailant, in Middleton Road, Crumpsall, under the “Plato” response protocol for terror attacks. Starmer, en route to London, described the Manchester attack as shocking and assured the deployment of more police to safeguard synagogues nationwide.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Health Secretary Wes Streeting also expressed horror and solidarity with the Jewish community. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the “vile and disgusting” attack on a sacred day, emphasizing support for the affected individuals.
The Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident, with shots fired at the suspect and paramedics treating injured civilians. Starmer’s discussions in Denmark were focused on Ukraine, migration, and collaborative strategies against illegal migration, with an emphasis on supporting Ukraine and pressuring Putin.
The government recently announced changes to asylum seeker rights, aiming to discourage unauthorized entries. Starmer supported the measures as a means to deter unsafe crossings.