Starmer accuses Musk of trying to whip up division over Henry Nowak murder

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Starmer accuses Musk of trying to whip up division over Henry Nowak murder11 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleJennifer McKiernanPolitical reporterBBCSir Keir StarmerPrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of "trying to whip up division" over the murder of Henry Nowak. Recently released footage shows police handcuffing Nowak as he lay dying, despite the 18-year-old repeatedly telling officers he could not breathe. His killer Vickrum Digwa had claimed he had been the victim of a racist attack.

Violent protests erupted near the site of his murder in Southampton and X-owner Musk has posted several times on the site criticising the police treatment of the teenager. In a visit to York on Thursday, Sir Keir accused Musk of interfering in British politics and stressed the grieving family had appealed for calm. He said: "We need to also assert who we are as a country, because Musk, again, has been interfering in our politics in the last few days, trying to whip up division – that is not who we are in Britain.

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"In Britain, we are reasonable, tolerant people. "When we have a terrible case like Henry's case, Henry Nowak, we react calmly, as his family have done. "Sir Keir said the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), was investigating the officers' behaviour and the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) guidance around race was being looked at as a result of the case.

Asked whether he supported calls from the Conservatives for a full misconduct investigation to be launched against the police officers involved, Sir Keir said: "I think it's right that there may need to be changes and we shouldn't shy away from that, not for one moment. "But how we conduct ourselves now as politicians is really important. "And I call on all politicians, all politicians, to just listen again to what the family are asking of us, which is to remain calm, to show the leadership that's needed here and not allow this case to be used to whip up division.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.