North Belfast: Violent Attack

Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard Excerpts

Wednesday 10th June 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

What we saw overnight is violence and disorder of the most shocking kind, using one of the most horrendous attempted murders, which we all unfortunately saw because it was spread across social media. We need to remember and contextualise what has happened in the past 24 hours, and what it led to. Some 27 people were made homeless last night because people went door to door to target foreign nationals and burn them out of their homes. I can only imagine their terror. The youngest victim to be moved from her home was two years old. I do not think any of us will ever be able to forget the image of a nine year-old child and their family being put in the back of a Land Rover as they were rescued from violent, racist thugs who sought to undermine their sense of belonging in a country that many have lived in for decades. It is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. As I should have said to the noble Lord, Lord Dodds, these people, the original perpetrator and those who have acted with such dishonour over the last 24 hours, will face the full strength of the law.

[Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (UUP)]

My Lords, like everyone here, I offer my sincere sympathy to Mr Ogilvie and welcome the support for those who came to his aid, as well as the local people, the security services, police and ambulance service.

Like everyone, I totally condemn the violence of last night. Those who are living properly in that part of the United Kingdom have a right to live there. However, will the Minister give us some idea as to how she and the Government are going to stop the great number of illegal immigrants coming in their boatloads into the United Kingdom?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

The noble Lord raises a very important point. Nearly 70,000 people were deported between the general election and March 2026—a 41% increase on the 21 months before that. It is important for us to remember that we are a welcoming, open country; I am here only because of previous immigration policies that allowed my family to come. However, this is about making sure that, if you are lucky enough to live in the UK, you abide by British values, and if you do not, you will leave.