Starmer began his statement with a reminder that this was all about the children who died. Getting justice for their families. Hence the public inquiry. No stone would be left unturned to uncover the truth. Nothing – no matter how embarrassing to the government – was off limits. There had been no cover-up. Of course he had been kept up to speed by the police throughout the investigation, but he was bound by the Contempt of Court Act.
He couldn’t take the risk of revealing information just to get a few favourable headlines in the rightwing press.
And, yes, it had been tricky. Personally he would like to see the law changed. Clarified at the very least.
Rudakubana had not initially been charged with terrorist offences – despite the presence of ricin and a book about al-Qaida training techniques – because there was no obvious sign of him having any terrorist ideology. He wasn’t an Islamist. He wasn’t even a Muslim. He was just a violent, sick teenager with a fascination for beheading and massacre videos who had three times
slipped through the Prevent net.
Keir ended as he had begun. This was not a moment for point scoring. If things had gone wrong then the inquiry would make conclusions.
Now was also not the time for Starmer to call the rioters “far right”. They were just criminals determined to make trouble. All in all, it was hard to think of a more balanced, considered response to a hideous crime. A statement to provide comfort and calm where necessary.