Downing Street Condemns US Vice-President JD Vance Over Henry Nowak Murder Remarks
Downing Street has condemned "people trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division" following US Vice-President JD Vance's comments on the murder of Henry Nowak. Vance had attributed the 18-year-old British student's fatal stabbing in Southampton to a "mass invasion of migrants", asserting that the "only response" was "righteous anger".
A Downing Street spokesperson stated that the Nowak family had "said they do not want his death to be used to create further division". The spokesperson added, "Our politics should bring people together even in the most terrible of circumstances. That is who we are as a country."
The Crown Prosecution Service has confirmed that Vickrum Digwa, convicted of Nowak's murder, was born British. Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for using a 21cm blade to kill Nowak, who was returning home on 3 December.
Vance's social media post claimed Nowak died "the same way a civilisation dies: abandoned and handcuffed by authorities who neither trusted nor cared for him". He further asserted Nowak would be alive if "European elites had stood their ground against the politics of self-hatred and the mass invasion of migrants".
Children and Families Minister Josh MacAlister appeared to criticise Vance, stating, "There are people who are trying to import that kind of toxic politics here into the UK and I don't want to have anything to do with it." MacAlister added, "I don't think we need advice from American politicians... [on] how to have effective policing here in the UK."
Separately, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for an "independent rapid review" into the circumstances of Nowak's death, writing to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer that "questions raised about what followed are of profound public importance". The Independent Office for Police Conduct is already investigating police conduct, and an inquest jury will consider police actions next year.
Earlier in the week, Sir Keir Starmer accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of "trying to whip up division" over the case after Musk posted criticism of police and media coverage on X. Farage, who reposted Vance's remarks without comment, had argued the incident was the result of "two-tier policing", a claim rejected by acting West Midlands Police chief Constable Scott Green.
