There is an understandable rush to speculation about the causes of the riots and many theories – sensible and ludicrous – are already in circulation. But speculation, as tempting as it is, is not what is needed now. What is needed now is for the disturbances to stop.
By Rob Berkeley, director of the Runnymede Trust, a race equality think tank
Events last night took an unprecedented turn. As streets across London went up in flames it has become clear that this is new territory. Saturday night in Tottenham was one thing, the events of the last two nights have mutated into a very different form of street disturbance.
This is an unprecedented situation that raises a million questions; who is involved in these disturbances, is this about race or class, is this gang-related, what drives people to such extreme behaviour, how did we get here, how bad can it get?
There is an understandable rush to speculation about the causes of the riots and many theories – sensible and ludicrous – are already in circulation. But speculation, as tempting as it is, is not what is needed now. What is needed now is for the disturbances to stop.
The damage to neighbourhoods across the country and to our sense of community is massive. On our current trajectory, the destruction of property, families made homeless, and people living in fear will culminate in loss of life.
No one can or should condone the actions of the looters, robbers and arsonists. The restoration of public order is in our collective interest.
Already, those looking to establish why these events have happened are being lampooned as apologists for criminality. Commentators like Ken Livingstone and Darcus Howe with legitimate concerns about the use of stop and search, the withdrawal of the EMA, or cuts to spending on youth services are in danger of being characterised as if they welcome the riots .
On the right, the hang’em, flog ‘em brigade are on the move, young people are being described as feral and mindless, Black people accused of not being British. Still the streets burn.
Runnymede warned of the impact of inequalities on our society. We highlighted the alienation and hopelessness among large swathes of young people facing discrimination, without prospects of employment, low levels of skills, and poor relations with the police.
But we never supposed that the despair was as widespread as it now appears to be or even that so many people simply do not care enough about the neighbourhoods and spaces where they live or the moral consequences of their actions to desist from destroying them.
We have to admit that this is a new phenomenon about which we know very little. Speculation is not helping.
The scale and impact of these disturbances will require a serious and far-reaching inquiry in due course. We will be among those who will be seeking to find out what has happened and assess what the solutions might be. But first, the looting and violence has to stop.
We can then move from speculation to real evidence. Speculation is beginning to solidify into camps along political lines that will close down the attempt to find solutions rather than aid it.
Speculation in a context of mistrust between the police and the communities they serve marked the response to Mark Duggan’s death that provided the spark in this tinderbox.
Additional speculation about the causes may only serve to fuel further disaster. We need the violence to stop before working out how to make sure we never have to live through a city in disarray like this again.
28 Responses to “Speculation can wait: The priority is to stop the rioting”
Leon Wolfson
@4 – You’re the one calling for the policies which will make it happen again and again. Ascribing your sins to others, as always. Crawl back to the Tory sites, and stop trolling on these ones.
Inequality increased under Labour because they didn’t do enough, but the Tories are of course working to actively accelerate the rate of inequality. And you’ll blame the poor for that time and time again rather than trying any fixes.
@8 – “Political parties haven’t attacked people for not having jobs.”
What rot. There’s been an endless string of attacks. Over and over. Guess what? If the jobs are not there, it’s punishment plain and simple. Of course, you’ve made it plain you love that.
And of course you have to drive people out of areas rather than take sensible measures, like rent caps. Despite the fact house prices are falling, rents continue to increase above inflation. It’s profiteering, and hurts people who depend on their incomes too. But no, we have to have social cleansing, driving people out to where there are even less jobs, for the SIN of being poor. Never mind we’re one of the world’s richest countries, we have to drive poorer people out of TWO THIRDS of the country, and have many others sit in the cold dark this winter. You’re just DANDY with that.
Never mind that many of those people will previously have had low-paid or part-time jobs, and will lose them. Never mind there’s been a dirth of social housing, never mind the sink towns you’re creating, which will be tinderboxes which will burn on a regular basis, as you blame the inhabitants for the sin, again, of being poor.
The EMA is anything BUT a bribe – it’s a massively effective program, as are others over the world, at keeping children in school. But of course it can’t be had, we can’t have the poor bettering themselves. That’s un-Tory.
Dave Citizen
Anon – fair point that job opps aren’t much good to 9yr olds. I can only think that those kids parents are either in a total mess themselves or simply too self centred to take proper care of their kids.
As it happens, I do think the nasty thugs who have been beating people up while thieving etc. should be dealt with very firmly. However, it’s just too easy to rant about such idiots. If we want to live in a better place tomorrow we need to stitch things together not rip bits off (they will still be around, just worse)
I reckon compulsory national service may be one way to help teach the young some social responsibility and make them feel that they are part of something bigger than just them and their mates. It seems to work in places like Finland and, as long as absolutely everyone had to do it, I’d support it.
Anon E Mouse
Dave Citizen – I hear you on the National Service but trust me the army doesn’t want them.
What I’d do is immediately deport foreigner in our prisons. Because they have reached the situation where the courts have imprisoned them they are not suitable individuals to live here.
Then I’d lock the rioters up in the freed up prison places for a long time to send a message.
Then I’d make anyone in receipt of benefits attend mind numbingly boring 9 ’til 5 courses to drive them into jobs that we give to immigrants such as burger flippers and toilet cleaners. There is nothing wrong with those jobs and people in this country should be forced to do them.
Sorted.