Lord Austin ‘surprised’ by troubles in Leicester last year
Inquiry lead denies authorities overlooked ‘deepening divides’ in community
By Sarwar AlamSep 20, 2023
THE lead of an independent review investigating into clashes in Leicester last year has refuted suggestions that the authorities overlooked decades of deepening divides in the city.
Dozens of people were arrested after community tensions erupted in August and September 2022 and led incidents of vandalism and attacks on places of worship and other properties in Leicester, bringing to the fore divisions in the city and beyond.
Lord Ian Austin, who was appointed by the levelling up and communities secretary Michael Gove to lead the independent review, told Eastern Eye he was ‘surprised’ by the troubles in Leicester.
“Leicester’s got a proud history of diversity, tolerance and communication. I have visited Leicester on quite a few occasions; I’ve also worked in Leicester for a few months. What struck me is its diversity, it’s strength of community relations,” he said.
“Leicester is an amazing city. People from all over the world have contributed to work together from all sorts of different places and backgrounds to contribute to its success. And that’s why I was so surprised to see what happened last year.”
The panel will consist of Dr Samir Shah CBE, a former commissioner for the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities; Hilary Pilkington, professor of sociology at the University of Manchester and Dr Shaaz Mahboob, head of digital development NHS England. The panel will aim to establish the facts of what happened during the period of unrest, analyse it, share recommendations to prevent it happening again and suggest ways to strengthen cohesion locally.
Dr Samir Shah
Lord Austin said, “We’re coming into this with a completely open mind, no preconceptions, no preconceived ideas. “We’ve got a really great panel. It’s diverse, it’s independent from the government, independent from the council. It brings together people with real expertise who have spent decades working on these sorts of issues.” Lord Austin said he was keen to put local people at the forefront of the independent inquiry. “We want to listen to people in Leicester to understand last year’s events, what can be learned from them and how
communities in the city can work together to prevent problems in future,” he added.
“If people want their views taken into account, come and talk to me or invite me to come and listen to you. The key thing is that local people are in the lead of this.”
Dilwar Hussain, founder and chair of New Horizons in British Islam, a charity that works on Muslim identity, integration and reform, told Eastern Eye in July that his organisation had worked with Leicester Council for 15 years and warned them of ‘cracks in social cohesion’ and told them to get on top of the issues.
Asked if he would be willing to speak to some of the people who instigated or took part in the violence and listen to the reasons for their actions, Lord Austin admitted that would be “difficult”.
“We want to talk to people in different communities. We’re not just coming here to talk to the council, to the police or these sorts of institutions,” he said. “We’re coming to listen to local people, but if people were involved in criminality, then I think that might be difficult.”
This is the second attempt at understanding the circumstances that led to the unrest in Leicester.
In November last year, Leicester City Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, announced an inquiry that would be led by Dr Chris Allen, an associate professor of hate crimes at the University of Leicester (UoL), working alongside a team of researchers and an advisory panel.
Allen, however, stepped down after his appointment was criticised by local councillors and a number of local Hindu organisations who claimed his previous research on Muslim communities and Islamophobia might not make him an impartial voice.
Lord Austin has faced similar accusations of potentially lacking impartiality.
Hilary Pilkington
He has been accused of Islamophobia from The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) who referenced his 2021 tweet showing a fake new flavour for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream for people in Gaza, named “Hamas Terror Misu” after the company announced that it would stop selling its products in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The MCB said in a statement that Lord Austin’s appointment had created “deep apprehension among Muslims and other communities in Leicester”.
Lord Austin was the Labour MP for Dudley North from 2005 until 2019, sitting as an independent for his last nine months as MP after resigning from the party due to what he claimed was a “culture of extremism, anti-semitism and intolerance”.
“I’ve spent my entire life working against racism, prejudice and extremism,” he said.
“I spent my entire time in politics, and before that, trying to bring people together, build stronger and more united communities. I understand that we’ve got to come to Leicester, we’ve got to earn people’s confidence and trust and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to listen to everybody, and we’re going to try and make some of the recommendations for the future. I’m sure there’ll be things we learn that can be applied to other communities.”
The panel is expected to publish the findings of the review next year.
Dr Shaaz Mahboob
A second, separately-run inquiry into the unrest is being hosted by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London.
Leicester Mayor Sir Soulsby claimed that neither of the two inquiries will be seen as being “truly impartial”. “I myself would not pretend to have the impartiality of a judge or lawyer. The only worry I have is neither of the two approaches will be seen as being truly impartial. I hope they can demonstrate they are taking the right measures and an impartial view and that we can learn something from them,” he said.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) founder Altaf Hussain has been hospitalised in London after falling seriously ill, according to a party official.
Hussain, 71, was admitted to a hospital on Thursday due to a severe illness, where doctors carried out various tests, Mustafa Azizabadi, Convener of MQM’s Central Coordination Committee, said on social media.
"The founder and leader of MQM, Altaf Hussain, has been admitted to a hospital in London due to severe illness, where various tests have been conducted on him,” Azizabadi said.
“Doctors have conducted various tests and are focusing their attention on his treatment,” he added in a video message, as quoted by Dawn.
Hussain has been living in London since 1992 and holds British citizenship, the report said.
He often delivers political speeches to his supporters in Karachi through social media platforms.
Hussain founded the party in 1984 under the name Muhajir Qaumi Movement to represent the Urdu-speaking community that migrated from India to Pakistan during the 1947 partition.
Born on September 17, 1953 in Karachi, he started his political career in 1978 by founding the All-Pakistan Muhajir Students Organisation (APMSO).
In the 1988 general elections, MQM won a majority in Sindh’s urban areas and became the third-largest party in the country, Dawn reported.
Hussain has remained in self-imposed exile since the early 1990s after the government launched an operation in Karachi at the time.
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Social media emerged as a significant threat to community cohesion, the British Future report said. (Photo: Getty Images)
COMMUNITIES remain at risk of fresh unrest unless urgent action is taken to address deep-seated social tensions, a new report, published one year after last summer's riots, has cautioned.
Titled 'The State of Us' by British Future thinktank and the Belong Network, the report published on Tuesday (15) said successive governments have failed to take action and warned that a "powder keg" of unresolved grievances could easily ignite again without immediate intervention.
Immigration and asylum remain contentious issues, as per the report.
Three in ten respondents selected "divisions between people who have migrated to the UK, arrived as refugees or sought asylum, and people born in the UK" as the top issue affecting how people from different backgrounds get on locally.
There are widespread worries about the cost-of-living, declining public services, and inequality - leading to frustration about the potential for political change, the survey found.
In a foreword to the report, Sir Sajid and Cruddas wrote: “The bonds that hold society together – civic participation and a shared sense of belonging – are under growing pressure. This is leaving our society more fragmented, fragile and less resilient to internal and external threats. At the same time, forces driving division are intensifying, political polarisation is deepening and trust in institutions is declining.”
“Only through coordinated leadership and collaboration across sectors can we build resilience and connection on a national scale – but it will take boldness, bravery, and a willingness to step outside our comfort zones.”
Led by senior researcher Jake Puddle and co-authored by Jill Rutter and Heather Rolfe, the latest study gathered evidence from 177 UK organisations working on social cohesion through regional roundtables and 113 written submissions. They also conducted a nationally representative survey by Focaldata and held eight focus groups in towns and cities across the UK, including areas that experienced riots.
“Social media emerged as a significant threat to community cohesion. People's engagement with society is increasingly shaped through online platforms, creating an environment where misinformation can direct grievances toward minority groups. Online hate and clickbait headlines perpetuate anxiety through a sense of ‘permanent crisis’,” it noted.
“Trust in politicians has reached very low levels, with the public viewing them as self-interested and disconnected from their concerns. Across the UK, people report feeling less aligned to mainstream political parties and sceptical about their ability to deliver change.”
According to the study, three in ten adults - around 15 million people - said they rarely or never have opportunities to meet people from different backgrounds. A similar number say they don't frequently get a chance to meet other people at all in their local community.
Meanwhile, at neighbourhood level, 69 per cent of people feel their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together. It highlighted many examples of successful community work across the UK, often led by local authorities and civil society organisations.
Kelly Fowler, chief executive of the Belong Network, said: "Good work is happening across the UK on cohesion and community strength, but it is patchy and often confined to areas of high diversity or where tensions have spilled over into unrest. A lack of sustained funding limits its impact. It's time this issue was treated with the urgency it merits, in every part of Britain. We must not wait for more riots to happen."
The report said while strong foundations exist at neighbourhood level, coordinated leadership and collaboration across all sectors will be essential to build resilience and connection on a national scale.
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The Metropolitan Police said the sentencing followed a 'comprehensive operation'. (Photo: Getty Images)
FOUR members of an organised crime network that stole more than £1 million worth of jewellery from Indian and South Asian families in London have been sentenced to a total of 17 years and one month in prison.
The Metropolitan Police said the sentencing followed a “comprehensive operation” that led to the imprisonment of Jerry O’Donnell, 33, Barney Maloney, Quey Adger, 23, and Patrick Ward, 43. All four were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday after previously pleading guilty to burglary.
The police said the group “largely targeted the South Asian community throughout the capital”.
“This comprehensive operation enabled us to disrupt a key part of an organised crime network. As a result of the work conducted by specialist officers, a handful of serial criminals will now spend a substantial amount of time behind bars,” said Detective Sergeant Lee Davison of the Met Police, who led the investigation.
“While the monetary value of this crime is staggering, its sentimental worth is priceless. I hope these men spend a lot of time reflecting on the impact their actions have had on the community,” he said.
Three of the men – O’Donnell, Maloney and Adger – were arrested in July 2024 during a one-year intelligence-led operation covering London and surrounding counties. They were detained while carrying stolen jewellery and were each sentenced to over five years in prison.
CCTV enquiries had identified their car as being connected to several burglaries. Specialist officers pursued the vehicle and conducted a forced stop. Officers found hundreds of items inside, including a gold wedding ring, gold necklaces, and a solid gold hair pin.
Ward was arrested separately at his home address. Intelligence obtained during the investigation linked him to the group as a member of the same organised network. He was sentenced to two years and five months.
As part of the investigation, officers also raided a jewellery shop in Hatton Garden, where they believed stolen gold was being melted down and sold. Police recovered £50,000 in cash and eight kilos of jewellery from the location.
The recovered items included a World War One officer’s Rolex, a gold locket containing old photographs, an engraved gold ring, and a gold pocket watch marked Harlow Bros Ltd.
“While the most identifiable items were reunited with their rightful owners after dozens of people came forward following a media appeal in March, detectives are still looking to identify the owners of the remaining jewellery and urge anyone who may have been a victim to contact police,” the Met Police said in a statement.
The thefts took place between December 2023 and July 2024 from homes across south London, including Croydon, Sutton and Wandsworth, as well as in Surrey, Sussex and Essex.
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Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating flight AI-171 to London Gatwick, crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
FOUR weeks before an Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed after takeoff from Ahmedabad, media reports cited a safety notice issued by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) highlighting potential issues with fuel control switches on Boeing aircraft.
The CAA has now clarified that the safety notice in question — Safety Notice Number SN-2015/005 — was originally issued in 2015. The document was updated on 15 May 2025 only to change the contact email address. This routine administrative update caused the document to appear on the CAA website as if it were newly issued.
A CAA spokesperson said: “Whilst the Air India accident investigation is ongoing, we do not have any technical concern with regards to Boeing products and we do not require any additional actions from UK operators.”
According to India Today, the notice was dated May 15 and instructed operators of Boeing models including the 787 Dreamliner to assess a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Directive concerning fuel shutoff valve actuators. These valves are safety devices designed to stop fuel flow to engines.
"The FAA has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) addressing a potential unsafe condition affecting fuel shutoff valves installed on the following Boeing aircraft: B737, B757, B767, B777, B787," the CAA notice stated, according to the report.
The CAA had ordered daily checks and possible testing, inspection or replacement of affected parts. The issue drew renewed focus after India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau noted in its preliminary report that the aircraft’s fuel control switches unexpectedly moved to “CUTOFF” after liftoff, shutting down both engines.
The FAA later said the switch design posed no safety risk, and Boeing issued similar guidance. Air India replaced the Throttle Control Module in 2019 and 2023 but did not inspect the switch locking mechanism, saying the 2018 FAA advisory was not mandatory. CEO Campbell Wilson said no cause had been identified yet.
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Singh did not possess a birth certificate, but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911.
FAUJA SINGH, the Indian-born British national widely regarded as the world’s oldest distance runner, died in a road accident at the age of 114, his biographer said on Tuesday.
Singh, popularly known as the "Turbaned Tornado", was hit by a vehicle while crossing the road in his native village of Bias in Punjab’s Jalandhar district on Monday.
His biographer, Khushwant Singh, confirmed the news on social media. “My Turbaned Tornado is no more,” he posted on X. “He was struck by an unidentified vehicle... in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja.”
My Turbaned Tornado is no more. It is with great sadness that I share the passing of my most revered S. Fauja Singh. He was struck by an unidentified vehicle around 3:30 PM today in his village, Bias, while crossing the road. Rest in peace, my dear Fauja . pic.twitter.com/LMFh7TNE8B — Khushwant Singh (@Singhkhushwant) July 14, 2025
Singh did not possess a birth certificate, but his family said he was born on April 1, 1911. He began long-distance running at the age of 89 and went on to complete full marathons (42 kilometre) until the age of 100. His last competitive event was a 10-kilometre run during the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon, when he was 101. He completed the race in one hour, 32 minutes and 28 seconds.
Singh gained global attention after taking up distance running later in life, following the deaths of his wife and one of his sons. He was inspired to run marathons after watching them on television. Though widely celebrated as the oldest marathon runner, he was not officially recognised by Guinness World Records due to the absence of verifiable proof of his age. According to him, birth certificates were not issued in his region when he was born under British colonial rule.
He was chosen as a torchbearer at both the Athens 2004 and London 2012 Olympic Games and featured in several advertising campaigns alongside sports figures such as David Beckham and Muhammad Ali.
Singh attributed his physical endurance to his daily routine of walking on farmland and a diet that included home-churned curd and the Indian sweet “laddu” made with dry fruits.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Singh on X. “Fauja Singh was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness,” Modi wrote.
Fauja Singh Ji was extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness. He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and… — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2025
“He was an exceptional athlete with incredible determination. Pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family and countless admirers around the world.”