Nigel Farage and Angela Rayner
Nigel Farage has demanded that Angela Rayner apologises for suggesting the Southport attack was not terror-related.
The Reform UK leader has written to the Deputy Prime Minister after she previously appeared to accuse him of spreading “fake news” when he questioned whether the tragedy was linked to terrorism.
But it has emerged that killer Axel Rudakubana was referred to the Government’s Prevent anti-extremism scheme three times.
Mr Farage said: “I’m writing to ask you to apologise – not to me, but to the millions of Britons that you deliberately misled in choosing such an inappropriate moment to spread misinformation.
“By choosing to make such nakedly political points at a time of national vulnerability you undoubtedly contributed to the civil rest that ensued.
“As Deputy Prime Minister of this country you have a duty to respond responsibly and not – ironically – create fake news by criticising others for stirring up fake news when they have done no such thing.
“I’ve no doubt that you would like to take this opportunity to correct the record.”
Rudakubana this week pleaded guilty to the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the Merseyside town last July.
He was also found to have downloaded an Al Qaeda training manual and kept ricin at his family home.
Mr Farage has repeatedly made claims of a “cover up” over the case, but Sir Keir Starmer has insisted disclosing information earlier on would have risked collapsing a criminal trial.
The day after the attack, the Clacton MP said: “I have to say there are one or two questions. Was this guy being monitored by the security services? Some reports say he was, others less sure…
“I just wonder whether the truth is being withheld from us. I don’t know the answer to that. I think it is a fair and legitimate question. What I do know is something is going horribly wrong in our once beautiful country.”
Asked about Mr Farage’s comments, Ms Rayner told LBC: “He must understand that you have a level of responsibility, you’re a community leader, you’re elected to represent your constituency.
“And therefore you have a level of responsibility with that, and it’s not to stoke up what conspiracy theories or what you think might have happened, or lean into what you think.”
Ms Rayner said that police were doing a “difficult job”, adding: “We want to establish facts as soon as possible.
“And we have a responsibility to hold the community together and say, let’s get the facts and then let’s look at what the actual solutions are and what we can do about the horrific situation that we find ourselves in, not to stir up these fake news online.”