Hilary Benn

The scenes of disorder we have witnessed in some parts of Northern Ireland this evening are only damaging communities and putting innocent lives at risk. There is no justification at all for this type of destruction and thuggery.

People have been rightly shocked by the brutal attack in north Belfast, but the police must be allowed to do their job so the law can take its course. There is no justification at all for this type of thuggery. I echo the call from the…

When I think back to those who were attacked in the wake of the terrible events in Southport and then in Ballymena, we know that in Northern Ireland certain of individuals were attacked, had nothing to do with any of this, simply because…

We all have a responsibility, by our actions and our words, not to inflame and we all have a responsibility – as I indicated in answering the original question – to plea for clam in these circumstances.

A government's first responsibility is to protect the nation.