The UK justice secretary and deputy prime minister, David Lammy, revealed to Sky News\u2019 Trevor Phillips that he spoke to Vance yesterday following his intervention. Lammy, who is rumoured to be good friends with the vice-president, said:<\/p>\n
double quotation markI spoke to the vice president yesterday, and I wanted to emphasise a number of things.<\/p>\n
The first is that our democratic process is working well. This young man has been convicted. There is an investigation into the police by the Independent Police (Conduct)Authority.<\/p>\n
There is an investigation into Hampshire Police by the inspectorate. The (attorney general) is looking at the sentencing in relation to this. The national police chiefs are looking at the guidance in relation to this.<\/p>\n
The second thing was I disagree with him. This has got nothing to do with mass migration. This young man was a Brit. Let\u2019s be clear about that. And I said, \u2018look, Mr vice president, you\u2019re wrong about this\u2019.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s also the case that actually murder is coming down in the United Kingdom. So we had an agreeable conversation. But we disagree.<\/p>\n
![\"US](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/7366.jpg\")
US vice-president JD Vance talks with David Lammy during a meeting at Chevening House in Kent in August 2025. Photograph: Kin Cheung\/AP<\/p>\n
Asked how Vance reacted, Lammy said the vice-president has a \u201clongstanding concern about what he calls western values\u201d, adding that the conversation ended very amicably.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also urged him that it\u2019s not helpful to tweet in this way, partly because of what the Nowak family have asked for, and reminded him about their desire not to make this an issue of division and hatred but to make this an issue of common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.59 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Zia Yusuf says UK police are ‘institutionally racist’<\/p>\n Reform UK\u2019s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf said that UK police are \u201cinstitutionally racist\u201d, claiming that there is \u201cstructural anti-white prejudice\u201d.<\/p>\n When asked by Laura Kuenssberg if he thinks the police are institutionally racist, he said: \u201cI think the correct answer to that has to be yes given literally on their website it tells people not to treat people the same \u2013 to not be colour-blind.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo if you ask me if there is institutional racism when literally the justice minister and the police\u2019s own guidelines instruct officers not to treat people the same, according to their race, there can only be one answer and that is yes.\u201d<\/p>\n Reform UK home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf appearing on the BBC\u2019s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme. Photograph: Jeff Overs\/BBC\/PA<\/p>\n Yusuf said Hampshire police\u2019s race action plan \u2013 and the national plan – states that officers must prioritise offences that cause the most harm to ethnic minorities.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you tell police officers that there will be, quote, \u2018zero tolerance for any form of racism, or defiance of these guidelines, and you must prioritise the concerns of ethnic minorities, and do not treat everybody the same, and do not be colour-blind\u2019- those are direct quotes from the guidelines \u2013 then the logical conclusion Laura is what you saw on the bodycam,\u201d Yusuf said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe only way literally that we can ensure that we do not have another situation like the tragedy of Henry\u2019s death is through political means,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n There are no official figures on anti-white bias in operational policing, but the statistics that do exist show longstanding racial bias against ethnic minorities, and especially against black people.<\/p>\n As the Guardian\u2019s police and crime correspondent Vikram Dodd notes in this useful explainer<\/a>, the police race action plan<\/a>, launched after the murder of George Floyd in the US, was meant to tackle the enduring problems police have with race. But there has been little improvement.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.29 EDT<\/p>\n A parliamentary committee that scrutinises public spending has made scathing comments about the impact of delays in the publication of the government\u2019s defence investment plan (Dip).<\/p>\n In a report, the public accounts committee (PAC) said the delay was undermining credibility with the UK\u2019s allies. The chair of the committee of MPs, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThose responsible may argue there are good reasons for the Dip\u2019s continuing absence, but our report makes clear that excuses to the effect of \u2018taking the time to get the details right\u2019 simply do not cut it.<\/p>\n Whatever the content of the Dip when it eventually does appear, the damage from its absence has been done \u2013 to the nation\u2019s credibility, to its safety, to its armed forces, and to certainty within its entire defence industrial base\u2026<\/p>\n Any government minister attempting to explain away this delay to the Dip should instead ask themselves what message the bureaucratic drift of the past months has given to the public, as well as the UK\u2019s allies and its adversaries, and simply apologise.<\/p>\n The Ministry of Defence<\/a> (MoD) \u201chas not yet decided which capabilities, infrastructure and people it requires to transform the armed forces to be warfighting-ready within the budget available\u201d and \u201cnor has it secured the cross-government agreement that the plan needs\u201d, the report added. You can read the full story here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Starmer to target net zero and transport to fund defence – report<\/p>\n There is an interesting report in the Sunday Times<\/a> saying that Keir Starmer is considering targeting net zero and transport as he looks for cuts to fund his defence investment plan.<\/p>\n Starmer will reportedly cut capital investment, which covers (long-term) investment in buildings and equipment, across all government departments by 1% to raise about \u00a36bn by the end of this parliament \u2013 but is seeking to impose further cuts on transport and net zero.<\/p>\n The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, has said the defence plan, originally promised in autumn 2025, will be published before the Nato summit in Turkey early next month. Photograph: Alastair Grant\/WPA Pool\/ Getty Images<\/p>\n The highly anticipated defence investment plan, according to Starmer, will be published before the Nato summit in Turkey, beginning on 7 July. It will lay out how new equipment and defence infrastructure will be paid for over the coming decade.<\/p>\n The plan has been delayed since last year because of a stand-off within the Cabinet over costs, reporting by The Times has suggested, amid warnings that the military faces a \u00a328bn funding gap over the next four years.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a005.41 EDT<\/p>\n Laura Kuenssberg moves onto pressing David Lammy on defence after MPs warned the government\u2019s delay in publishing the defence investment plan (Dip) undermined the UK\u2019s credibility with its allies at a time of rising global conflict threat.<\/p>\n The justice secretary said the UK\u2019s prime minister, Keir Starmer, is meeting with allies today (when he will host Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz in No 10 to discuss ongoing support for Ukraine), adding that 1,400 new defence contracts have been granted since Labour came into power in July 2024, with \u00a3270bn to be invested in defence by the next election, which must be called by August 2029.<\/p>\n \u201cMore spending on defence than any year under the Tories, under this government,\u201d Lammy told the BBC.<\/p>\n When asked if he would be happy to give up some of his budget within the justice department for defence spending, Lammy swerved directly answering the question.<\/p>\n Instead, he said: \u201cThe first purpose of any government is defence of the nation. I am not going to comment on the discussions I have with the Treasury.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a006.03 EDT<\/p>\n Speaking to Laura Kuenssberg on her Sunday politics programme on the BBC, David Lammy said ethnic minorities are disproportionately in the criminal justice system, so \u201ccontext can matter\u201d but it \u201ccannot eclipse violence\u201d.<\/p>\n Asked if the police should take into account the colour of someone\u2019s skin, the justice secretary said:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe are all equal before the law, so that is not the starting point, but it is the case, recognising that in our country it is still the case that on arrest, on prosecution, conviction, I\u2019m afraid, in our prisons, ethnic minorities are disproportionately in the criminal justice system.<\/p>\n So, context can matter, but it cannot eclipse violence or the fact that we need our police to act to mitigate and deal with crimes in our communities, whatever the colour of your skin or background.<\/p>\n Lammy went on to say that he doesn\u2019t agree there is \u201ctwo-tier\u201d policing in the UK, a claim propagated by the right which suggests police deal more harshly with white people than other ethnic groups.<\/p>\n Nigel Farage, the Reform party leader, said Hampshire police\u2019s treatment of Nowak was proof of \u201ca two-tier culture in this country, where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities\u201d. In fact, as my colleagues note in this story<\/a>, recent figures<\/a> show Hampshire police officers are more than five times more likely<\/a> to stop and search black people than white people.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n The attorney general\u2019s office is considering the jail sentence given to Vickrum Digwa after receiving \u201cmultiple requests\u201d to review it under the unduly lenient sentence (ULS) scheme.<\/p>\n As we mentioned in the opening post, Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum of 21 years on Monday for murdering Henry Nowak in Southampton last December.<\/p>\n Trevor Phillips asked David Lammy if he thinks the attorney general will take it for review, to which the justice secretary replied: \u201cHe is considering that as we speak\u201d.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n David Lammy said wherever there is \u201cprivilege\u201d it can be \u201ctaken away if it doesn\u2019t command the full confidence of the public\u201d, when asked about the blade Vickrum Digwa used to murder Henry Nowak.<\/p>\n Asked whether it is \u201ctime to review the issue of whether the blade he (the killer) claims was religious, the 8in one, is permissible\u201d, the justice secretary told Sky News:<\/p>\n double quotation markI think it\u2019s important to emphasise he claimed that. There is doubt as to whether this was religious, this 8in blade that was used, one, and two, you cannot carry a blade that is used in any way to harm life, that is illegal in our country, whatever the circumstances.<\/p>\n In the end, where exceptions are made of this kind, whether it\u2019s for Scots or whether it\u2019s for Sikhs. It is a privilege to be able to enjoy that with the confidence of the public.<\/p>\n Now, right across the country, Sikhs, Scots, for ceremonial purposes, cultural purposes, carrying relatively small blades goes on peacefully every single day of the week, and we should remember that.<\/p>\n But it is a privilege, and wherever there\u2019s privilege, that can be taken away if it doesn\u2019t command the full confidence of the public.<\/p>\n Under UK law a person can possess a kirpan for religious, ceremonial, sporting or historical reasons.<\/a> But, like any bladed article, a kirpan can become an offensive weapon if it is used unlawfully, as my colleague Aamna Mohdin notes in this useful explainer<\/a>.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Watching Nowak bodycam footage brought back memories of George Floyd, Lammy says<\/p>\n David Lammy said seeing the bodycam footage of the arrest of Henry Nowak \u2013 after the student had been repeatedly stabbed \u2013 was \u201cdeeply traumatic\u201d.<\/p>\n Lammy, who has two sons and one daughter, explained to Sky News:<\/p>\n double quotation markI thought of my own sons around the same age. It brought back memories of George Floyd, of Stephen Lawrence. <\/p>\n It was so painful, so harrowing, so horrendous \u2013 and my heart goes out to that family for the grace and dignity with which they are now having to conduct their lives sort of in the full lights basically of not just UK attention on this but now global attention on this desperate, desperate tragedy.<\/p>\n Allow content provided by a third party?<\/p>\n This article includes content hosted on platform.x.com. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click ‘Allow and continue’.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Lammy says he told JD Vance that Nowak case had ‘nothing to do with mass migration’<\/p>\n On Friday evening, the US vice-president, JD Vance, blamed<\/a> Henry Nowak\u2019s murder on the \u201cmass invasion of migrants\u201d and said the \u201conly response\u201d was \u201crighteous anger\u201d, prompting a rebuke from Downing Street which hit out at \u201cpeople trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division\u201d.<\/p>\n The UK justice secretary and deputy prime minister, David Lammy, revealed to Sky News\u2019 Trevor Phillips that he spoke to Vance yesterday following his intervention. Lammy, who is rumoured to be good friends with the vice-president, said:<\/p>\n double quotation markI spoke to the vice president yesterday, and I wanted to emphasise a number of things.<\/p>\n The first is that our democratic process is working well. This young man has been convicted. There is an investigation into the police by the Independent Police (Conduct)Authority.<\/p>\n There is an investigation into Hampshire Police by the inspectorate. The (attorney general) is looking at the sentencing in relation to this. The national police chiefs are looking at the guidance in relation to this.<\/p>\n The second thing was I disagree with him. This has got nothing to do with mass migration. This young man was a Brit. Let\u2019s be clear about that. And I said, \u2018look, Mr vice president, you\u2019re wrong about this\u2019.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s also the case that actually murder is coming down in the United Kingdom. So we had an agreeable conversation. But we disagree.<\/p>\n US vice-president JD Vance talks with David Lammy during a meeting at Chevening House in Kent in August 2025. Photograph: Kin Cheung\/AP<\/p>\n Asked how Vance reacted, Lammy said the vice-president has a \u201clongstanding concern about what he calls western values\u201d, adding that the conversation ended very amicably.<\/p>\n \u201cI also urged him that it\u2019s not helpful to tweet in this way, partly because of what the Nowak family have asked for, and reminded him about their desire not to make this an issue of division and hatred but to make this an issue of common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a004.59 EDT<\/p>\n Police planned intervention during trial of Henry Nowak\u2019s killer – report<\/p>\n Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of UK politics. The justice secretary, David Lammy, is being interviewed by the BBC and Sky News this morning and will likely be asked about the future of police reform in the wake of the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.<\/p>\n The case has come under fresh scrutiny today with a report in the Sunday Times revealing<\/a> that Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary tried to intervene during the trial of Nowak\u2019s killer but were warned by the Crown Prosecution Service it could jeopardise the case.<\/p>\n The police force wanted to release a statement to address what it described as online \u201cdisinformation\u201d while court proceedings were at a critical point against Vickrum Digwa, according to the report.<\/p>\n It is understood the statement contained information about the process of a court case, reminded people that nothing could be published that could prejudice legal proceedings, and said that police would answer questions once the trial was complete.<\/p>\n A CPS spokesperson said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe CPS highlighted to the police that protecting the integrity of the ongoing trial was essential, and of the risks of referring to any aspect of the evidence before it had been heard by the court and the case had been summed up by the judge to the jury.<\/p>\n However, it was made clear that whether a statement was released was ultimately a police operational decision.<\/p>\n Henry Nowak, 18, was walking home from a night out when he was stabbed. Photograph: Hampshire Police\/PA<\/p>\n Nowak, a first-year accountancy and finance student at the University of Southampton, was fatally stabbed in Southampton last December by Digwa, 23, after a night out with friends.<\/p>\n When police arrived at the murder scene, Digwa falsely claimed Nowak had racially abused him and knocked his turban off. Nowak was handcuffed and arrested despite telling officers he had been stabbed and could not breathe.<\/p>\n Digwa was given a life sentence with a minimum of 21 years in prison for stabbing Nowak with a ceremonial knife with a 21cm blade, which he carried as part of his Sikh religion.<\/p>\n Hampshire police have apologised for their actions, which received global attention after being criticised by the owner of X, Elon Musk, and senior politicians in the Trump administration, and led to violent disorder in Southampton last week<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hampshire police have been subjected to accusations of \u201ctwo-tier justice\u201d and anti-white bias<\/a> after the murder of Nowak despite data discrediting claims that UK police actions disadvantage white people.<\/p>\n![\"Jamie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Jamie-Grierson,-L.png\")
Jamie Grierson<\/p>\n