- The review will establish the facts and identify the underlying causes of the disturbances.
- Recommendations to be made to improve relations with the community and prevent similar events in the future
- An independent panel will be appointed, led by Lord (Ian) Austin
Secretary of State for Communities Michael Gove commissioned an independent review of the riots in Leicester last year.
In September 2022, community tensions sparked a wave of vandalism, muggings and attacks on houses of worship and other property in Leicester, in some cases highlighting divisions between different groups in the city and beyond.
During the height of the riots, the government worked closely with local police, Leicester City Council and other local partners to defuse the situation and protect communities across the city.
Communities Secretary Michael Gove has now commissioned an Independent Review of the disorder and appointed Lord (Ian) Austin as chair. Lord Austin is a former Minister for Housing and Planning and a former Minister for the West Midlands.
He will lead an independent panel of experts, to be appointed in due course, to work on understanding the origins of the riots and exploring how similar events can be prevented in the future, both in Leicester and elsewhere.
The panel:
- establish the facts of what happened during the period of unrest and a sequence of events;
- present an analysis of the causes of the riots
- make practical recommendations on how similar events could be prevented from occurring in the future; and
- present proposals and ideas to strengthen social cohesion at the local level
Secretary of State for Communities, Michael Gove, said:
Leicester have a proud history of community cohesion, which makes last year’s mess all the more shocking and upsetting.
This review will generate a deep understanding of the specific events that took place and what can be learned from them.
I have spoken to both the Home Secretary and the Mayor of Leicester to stress the importance of protecting all parts of the Leicester community and we will not tolerate attempts to foment division or violence between individuals or between religious groups.
Leicester City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said:
I salute the government announcement. I hope the review can move as fast as possible and of course be comprehensive and get the attention it deserves.
I wish Leicester and other cities could learn from their findings and understand what needs to be done to ensure that the cohesion of our community is never threatened in this way again.
Mr Austin said:
Acceptance of the background and beliefs of others is at the heart of our national identity.
Communities living and working together have formed some of the most vibrant societies across the country and cities like Leicester have proud histories of tolerance and diversity.
This makes the scenes we witnessed in Leicester last year all the more concerning and it is therefore very important that we listen to the people in Leicester to get to the bottom of what happened and why.
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