LONDON — So much for the summer.
Britain’s newly elected Prime Minister Keir Starmer ripped up his holiday plans after the country was gripped by far-right riots.
A spokesperson for Starmer, who took office weeks ago, confirmed Monday that the prime minister had indeed junked his plans for a break, dodging a backlash that seemed guaranteed following the unrest.
Instead, Starmer “will be working between Downing Street and Chequers” this week, the spokesperson said, a reference to the British prime minister’s official country retreat.
“The prime minister is not alone in this. We’ve seen many people over the course of the weekend, and over the disorder, having their leave canceled to ensure that we can respond to the disorder,” the spokesperson added.
The plan to head for the sun after a grueling election campaign risked public anger following days of disorder in towns in England and Northern Ireland.
The unrest came in the wake of the deadly stabbing of three girls at a dance class in the seaside town of Southport. The attacker was falsely identified online in the immediate aftermath as a newly arrived asylum seeker. In heated scenes, rioters clashed with police, and mosques and accommodation housing asylum seekers were targeted.
Although the immediate unrest has abated after a police surge and action by counter-protesters, previous British ministers have found themselves in hot water after breaking for the summer as crises erupted at home and abroad.
While mayor of London in 2011, Boris Johnson faced criticism for taking his time to return from a family holiday to Canada.
“It is welcome that we have seen a de-escalation over the weekend, but the work is not done,” Starmer’s spokesperson said Monday.
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