Sir Keir Starmer has told the police they have ministers’ full backing to take “all necessary action to keep our streets safe” from “thugs” who “sow hate” as violent protests erupted across the UK following the stabbing of three girls in Southport.

A Downing Street spokesperson said the prime minister had met senior ministers including the deputy prime minister, home secretary, justice secretary and the policing minister to discuss the public disorder and unrest seen in towns and cities in recent days.

After thanking police who responded to the violence in Sunderland on Friday night, which saw four officers injured, Sir Keir said officers “have our full support to take action against extremists on our streets who are attacking police officers, disrupting local businesses and attempting to sow hate by intimidating communities.

“The right to freedom of expression and the violent disorder we have seen are two very different things,” he said, adding that “there is no excuse for violence of any kind”.

Mr Starmer reiterated that the government backs the police to take “all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”

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Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said those engaging in violent disorder “will pay the price”, telling broadcasters “criminal violence and disorder has no place on Britain’s streets”.

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Ms Cooper said: “We’ve been clear to the police that they have our full backing in taking the strongest possible action against perpetrators, including making sure that there are more prosecutors, there are sufficient prison places and also that the courts stand ready because anyone who engages in this kind of disorder needs to be clear that they will pay the price.”

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She promised to work with forces to help ensure “consequences, arrests and prosecutions” for those responsible.

Protesters threw bottles, chairs and bricks at police during clashes in towns and cities in England and Northern Ireland on Saturday.

A number of officers were injured during “serious disorder” in Liverpool city centre, Merseyside Police said, with one being hit on the head by a chair.

Bricks, bottles and a flare were also thrown at officers as they lined The Strand in the city centre.

Another officer was kicked and knocked off his motorcycle by a demonstrator and others tried to kick riot shields.

In Hull, four people have been arrested as three officers were hurt during a protest in which a group of people targeted a hotel which houses asylum seekers.

Humberside Police Chief Superintendent Darren Wildbore said officers have “faced eggs and bottles being thrown” as windows were smashed at the hotel which has housed migrants.

Four men were arrested after bricks were thrown at officers in Stoke-on-Trent and fireworks were thrown amid tense exchanges between an anti-Islamic group and an anti-racism rally in Belfast.

At least three people were arrested in Nottingham as scuffles broke out as opposing groups who faced each other in the city’s Market Square.

Bottles and other items were thrown from both sides, and chants of “England till I die” and “Tommy Robinson” were drowned out by boos from counter-protesters.

In Leeds, around 150 people carrying St George flags shouting “You’re not English any more” and “Paedo Muslims off our street” were greatly outnumbered by hundreds of counter-protesters shouting “Nazi scum off our streets”.

Saturday’s incidents followed violent protests earlier this week, which saw more than 100 people arrested outside Downing Street on Wednesday and 10 arrests in Sunderland on Friday night after a building next to a police station was set on fire and objects thrown at officers.

The widespread disorder follows a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class at a community centre in Southport on Monday, which left three girls dead.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died in the attack and other children and adults were injured.

The assault was followed by a wave of online misinformation about the background of the suspect, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, from Lancashire.

False claims included that he was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.

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