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Murder of Henry Nowak
02 June 2026
Lead MP
Shabana Mahmood
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Policing & ResourcesCrime & Law EnforcementJustice & Courts
Other Contributors: 35
At a Glance
Shabana Mahmood raised concerns about murder of henry nowak in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, made a statement about the murder of Henry Nowak and subsequent events. She expressed condolences to Henry's family and highlighted that Vickrum Digwa was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised further charges against other members of the attacker’s family. While awaiting full investigations, Mahmood acknowledged the family's request for thorough justice from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). She emphasised that police must act without fear or favour and condemned threats against officers involved in the case. The statement also covered measures to address knife crime, including plans to halve it by improving enforcement tools and supporting community interventions. On concerns regarding the carrying of kirpans under religious reasons versus misuse, Mahmood reiterated existing legal clarifications while condemning violent acts.
Chris Philp
Con
Croydon South
Question
The MP thanked the Home Secretary and highlighted the tragic murder of Henry Nowak, expressing his family's unimaginable loss. He raised concerns about police misconduct at the scene and their prioritization of false allegations over providing assistance to Henry. Philp also discussed recent cases where public services failed due to considerations related to race. He called for the withdrawal of the 'police anti-racism commitment,' emphasising that police forces must focus on criminal justice without considering irrelevant factors like race.
Minister reply
The Home Secretary acknowledged the tragedy and expressed sympathy for Henry's family. She clarified that the Government responded promptly after the proceedings concluded, ensuring all facts were reviewed before addressing the House. The minister emphasised that public services should only consider risk when assessing individuals, not their racial background or religion. She committed to ensuring equal treatment before the law and highlighted the importance of retaining police confidence in communities.
Question
The MP thanked the Secretary of State for her statement and commended the University of Southampton's response to Henry Nowak’s murder. He expressed frustration over the bodycam footage showing how Henry was treated as a criminal based on false allegations by his murderer. The MP asked for a commitment from the Secretary of State to clarify tough knife laws with adequate enforcement resources and requested assurance that the IOPC will have sufficient independence and resources for its investigation.
Minister reply
The Home Secretary guaranteed that the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has the necessary resources to conduct an independent investigation. She also confirmed that a meeting is planned with Henry’s family regarding the final report expected within three months. The minister committed to addressing knife crime through landmark initiatives and resources dedicated to fulfilling the mission of reducing knife crime.
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Question
This is a heartbreaking case of a young man who should be alive today with a happy life ahead of him. Because of the forces of evil, he is not. On behalf of my party, I extend my sympathies to Henry’s family and friends, and welcome the Home Secretary's statement. The independent investigation must uncover how one evil individual was not picked up despite exhibiting disturbing behaviours that saw him ejected from his place of worship and having an obsession with weapons. The investigation must ensure recommendations are made so that nothing like this can happen again.
Minister reply
I welcome the contribution from the Liberal Democrat spokesman, and associate myself with his words about the family and their reaction to what has happened. For the benefit of the whole House, I reiterate that anyone who uses this tragedy—this horrific, vile act of murder—to stoke further division in our country should be rejected by everyone across this House.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham
Question
This is a terrible incident. My heart goes out to Henry’s family. Concerned about the Macpherson inquiry causing police to hold back when dealing with people who perpetrate crimes and may be from an ethnic minority, does she agree that nothing in the Macpherson inquiry suggests the police should behave in that way or excuses the extraordinary behaviour of the police at the scene of this crime? Does she think what needs to be reviewed is how police are trained to deal with incidents of this sort?
Minister reply
Police officers must apply the law fairly, without fear or favour, to every single person they serve. They work incredibly hard and get it right the vast majority of the time, and where mistakes are made, it is right that they are properly investigated and examined.
Edward Leigh
Con
Gainsborough
Question
I agree with everything the Home Secretary says. I agree that we should not weaponise this issue, but neither should we tiptoe around it. The truth is many white people in this country feel that the police are so terrified of being called racist that they either underreact or overreact. There is a role for the Home Secretary now to summon top police officers and say, “Things have got to change. We are all equal. Don’t be terrified of what people think about you—just carry out the law as you’re supposed to do as police officers.”
Minister reply
I have made it very clear from this Dispatch Box that all are equal before the law, and the police must always act without fear and without favour towards any one group. I do not think it is helpful for us to start pitting either majority or different minority communities against one another; that is not what this moment requires.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
Question
Deeply saddened by the murder of Henry Nowak, my heartfelt condolences go out to his family. That police wrongly handcuffed Henry, believing lies of the violent murderer, stripped him of dignity in agonising final moments, and should never happen again. The likes of Reform, Restore and far right politicised people’s pain, attacking Sikh community for wearing kirpan and wanting it banned. Let me also give them a history.
Minister reply
I reiterate for my hon. Friend that religious freedom is an important principle this Government respects. As I said in my statement, we are not a country that collectively punishes an entire group of people for the actions of individuals. The responsibility for this murder rests with the murderer, and he has now faced justice and been sentenced.
Question
This is an appalling and sickening tragedy. Words cannot express heartbreak for Henry’s family and fury at system that led to this. In previous role, part of job was to review body-worn video footage and give independent judgment. In this case, it is clear everyone that police did not act appropriately and proportionately. Immediate action should have been taken to try to save his life but instead Henry was put in handcuffs and mocked as he lay dying. Those police officers have serious questions to answer. Can the Home Secretary explain what action Government will take to ensure every officer involved is held accountable for decisions they made, so public can have confidence that all treated equally under law?
Minister reply
I can give hon. Gentleman assurance that IOPC is investigating matter. It will be free to conclude investigation using all powers it has and evidence-gathering abilities. He will know having reviewed such footage in past that what publicly available is three minutes of much longer incident, but IOPC will be able to review every bit of bodycam footage in totality, as well as other evidence shedding light on context of incident.
Question
Paying tribute to Henry Nowak and his family, the MP calls for a thorough investigation by the IOPC into Henry's death and asks the Home Secretary to ensure that no stone is left unturned in dealing with knife crime.
Minister reply
The minister pays tribute to Henry Nowak and acknowledges the family's call for thorough investigation. She assures the MP that the IOPC investigation will be resourced fully, and lessons from this case will be acted upon.
Robert Jenrick
Con
Newark
Question
The MP questions why officers behave in a certain way during such incidents and calls for an end to the sickness rooted in the anti-racism agenda, asking if white lives matter just as much.
Minister reply
The minister emphasises that all are equal before the law regardless of race. She states it is inappropriate to pre-empt IOPC investigation but assures lessons will be learned and acted upon.
Question
The MP asks for assurance that once the IOPC concludes its findings, the Government will respond adequately to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Minister reply
The minister reassures the MP that as soon as the investigation concludes, the Government will take necessary actions to address the issue.
Question
The MP asks about the conduct of Hampshire constabulary and whether officers involved have been suspended. He also inquires about potential changes to exemptions for carrying knives for religious or cultural purposes.
Minister reply
Suspensions are a matter for the IOPC, and they will be informed as necessary. The exemption for carrying knives for religious reasons remains respected but is under serious consideration.
Question
The MP requests assurance that the IOPC investigation will report quickly, especially for Henry's family.
Minister reply
The minister acknowledges the need for urgency and assures the MP that the investigation is proceeding at pace expected by the House.
Question
The MP questions how the Government is reducing the availability of dangerous knives on streets.
Minister reply
The minister highlights recent legislation through the Crime and Policing Act 2026 that includes measures for possession and buying of weapons, new duties on sellers to report larger sales, aiming to address knife crime.
Sonia Kumar
Con
Birmingham, Erdington
Question
The death of Henry Nowak is a horrifying tragedy. Will the Home Secretary guarantee that she will go further and faster to tackle knife crime so that no one fears walking the streets of the UK?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. Yes, I will.
Kirsty Blackman
SNP
Aberdeen North
Question
Can the Home Secretary please make sure that the findings of the IOPC report are shared with Police Scotland and all police forces across these islands in order to ensure that any recommended structural or procedural changes are made, and that lessons can be learned by all forces?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady makes a very good point. Although some of these responsibilities are devolved, I hope that other legislatures in our country will show an interest.
Gurinder Josan
Con
Huddersfield
Question
Will the Secretary of State meet me and colleagues to discuss issues raised by the case further, including safety and knife crime, and the freedom to practise one’s faith?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend for his contribution. Once the IOPC investigation has concluded we will be able to draw further conclusions on the facts, the police response and the wider problems.
Joy Morrissey
Con
Beckenham
Question
Does the Home Secretary agree it is time to put a stop to political correctness that has overpowered common-sense policing? Will she commit to ending nonsense of police cultural competency training being put ahead of protecting every citizen regardless of race?
Minister reply
Let me reiterate my belief and expectation that the police must always act without fear or favour and treat all citizens equally before the law. I hope the hon. Member will recognise that the vast majority of our police officers run towards danger every day to keep us all safe.
Stella Creasy
Lab
Walthamstow
Question
What thought has the Home Secretary given to ensuring trusted sources of information on this issue? There is an important need for scrutiny and transparency about what has happened, particularly in a context where there is so much misinformation.
Minister reply
We in the Home Office have a responsibility to make sure that we act calmly and responsibly with full facts at our disposal. The Government are taking action through other Departments such as the Online Safety Act 2023.
Sammy Wilson
DUP
East Antrim
Question
How have we reached a stage in this country where, when the police go to an incident, they arrest a dying man because they are afraid of being accused of racism by his murderer? Would the Secretary of State make it clear to the police that policing should not be based on fear of racism or direction by chief constables?
Minister reply
There can, of course, be no suggestion of two-tier policing; we would never stand for that. I hope the right hon. Gentleman will acknowledge that the police respond to danger every single day and have to make quick decisions.
Harpreet Uppal
Lab
Warrington South
Question
How will the Secretary of State ensure that lessons are learned from Henry Nowak’s murder and that his family are put first? On knife crime, how will we ensure that the root causes are dealt with and that resources are provided to agencies and communities?
Minister reply
Let me assure my hon. Friend that the knife crime action plan is funded, and we have put significant money behind violence reduction units and other measures.
Julian Lewis
Con
New Forest East
Question
Is it normal police practice to handcuff a person who is lying helpless on the ground and clearly offering no resistance? Will the Home Secretary examine and withdraw the policing policy document identified by the shadow Home Secretary as embodying differential treatment?
Minister reply
On policing practice and the specifics of this case, that is precisely what the IOPC is looking at. The right hon. Member will know that we have had many debates in this House about differential treatment for minority communities.
Toby Perkins
Lab
Chesterfield
Question
I welcome the Home Secretary’s rejection of two-tier policing and the stance that everyone deserves to be policed equally regardless of their skin colour. If it turns out that a misguided application of the culture of policing led to the victim not being believed while the murderer was, what more will she do to ensure every police officer hears her message?
Minister reply
The Minister assures that once the IOPC investigation concludes and findings are made on the specific circumstances of this case, they will return to the House to debate collectively. She also reassures everyone that no one should be treated differently under the law.
Suella Fernandes
Con
Fareham
Question
Does the Home Secretary agree that a false accusation of racism against a white person is as bad, if not worse than, a legitimate claim of racism? Does she also agree with the police treatment of Henry Nowak based on his skin colour?
Minister reply
The Minister disagrees entirely and points out that there has been great leadership shown by Henry's family in their response. She highlights the independence of IOPC investigations to ensure public confidence without political interference.
Question
Does the Home Secretary agree that politicians have a responsibility to act with decorum and focus on Henry, his grieving family, rather than fanning the flames of division?
Minister reply
The Minister agrees and believes Members should take their lead from Henry’s family who set an example for everyone to follow.
Question
How are the Government going to rebuild public confidence in institutions that have attempted to rank people according to perceived oppression, rather than judging each person on their actions?
Minister reply
The Minister reiterates there can be no suggestion of two-tier policing. In most cases, police apply law fairly and without fear or favour.
Question
Does the Home Secretary agree with Henry's father that his death should not be used to create further division? Does she want to review existing exemptions to knife legislation on religious grounds?
Minister reply
The Minister agrees with Henry's father and emphasises that while the question is worthy of serious consideration, it would start by discussing with Sikh community, knife crime campaigners, and police.
Question
Will the Home Secretary ensure Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary receives support to implement IOPC findings in full and that lessons on victim recognition, officer judgment, and impartiality are acted upon swiftly?
Minister reply
The Minister assures full implementation and confirms that the Minister for Policing met with the police and crime commissioner earlier today.
Question
What will the Home Secretary do differently to crack down on knife crime, such as creating a dedicated knife crime Minister? What steps will she take to ensure Sikh community is not collectively responsible?
Minister reply
The Government has a landmark commitment to halve knife crime levels over ten years with a funded action plan and personal interest from the Prime Minister.
Graham Stringer
Lab
Blackley and Broughton
Question
In the ’80s and ’90s in this country, many police officers carried out their duties in a prejudicial and racist way. I am proud of having worked alongside many others to eliminate that racism as much as we could. However, we are now left with what is perhaps a more difficult problem to deal with, because many police officers and other public servants are now frightened that they will be accused of racism in carrying out those duties. What actions can the Home Secretary and the Cabinet take to reassure people who are accused of racism that proper process will be followed and that they will not just be left out of a job forever?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right to remind the House of the historical context of policing in this country and the question of racism itself. Many minority communities have been on the receiving end of that treatment in the past. It is right that the system as a whole has sought to learn those lessons and to deliver a policing service in which we can all be confident so that we know we will all be treated fairly under the law. I will ensure that continues to be the case going forward.
Question
When the race card was played by his murderer, was Henry Nowak treated differently because of the colour of his skin, causing the innocent victim to be handcuffed and the murderer to be pandered to?
Minister reply
The reaction of the police officers attending the scene to the circumstances they faced there is what the IOPC is investigating. Once that investigation is complete and findings of fact are made, I will be happy to discuss the further lessons with the hon. Gentleman and others in the House.
Question
I join colleagues across the House in offering my thoughts and prayers to Henry’s family over his vile and disgusting murder. Unfortunately, far-right groups in Blackpool and across the country are weaponising Henry’s death to create more hatred. Will the Home Secretary join me in condemning those in Blackpool and across the country and ensure that we honour the powerful call from Henry’s family, who do not want his death to be used to create further division, hatred or tension in this country?
Minister reply
I join my hon. Friend and Members across the House in condemning the actions of the far right utterly. They are completely unacceptable. We should all take a stand against the far right weaponising this horrifying murder—this terrible tragedy for the Nowak family—to spread further division, which is not what this moment requires.
Question
My thoughts are with Henry’s family. As I listened to his dad yesterday, I could not help but cry at the loss that his family have suffered, and at the fact that the video footage will be etched on their minds forever. It appears that we have an undercurrent of anti-white racism brewing in the UK. We see white people jailed for allegedly inciting racial hatred on social media, while members of other communities are not even prosecuted for viciously attacking police officers. Henry Nowak deserved better—he did not deserve to be attacked; he did not deserve to spend his final moments pleading for help and saying that he could not breathe; he did not deserve not to be believed; and, above all, he did not deserve to die. Why did it take this Government until yesterday to speak out on this matter, while they run to virtue signal on many other cases? Is the UK no longer a safe place for people like Henry Nowak?
Minister reply
The reason the Government did not comment until yesterday is because a criminal case was going through our courts. Members of this House, and certainly members of the Government, are not commentators for the purposes of social media. Ministers of the Crown must respect the independence of our criminal justice system and the ability of our courts and independent legal processes to function so that, when findings of fact are made, a conviction happens and a sentence is passed; it commands public confidence across the whole country, because everyone knows it was not interfered with politically.
Question
I thank my right hon. Friend for her statement. I offer my condolences to Henry Nowak’s family, who have been through an appalling ordeal. What assurances can my right hon. Friend provide that Henry’s family’s concerns about the initial police response are being fully considered by the relevant authorities and that lessons will be learned from this terrible incident, so that no other family has to see their loved one doubted in their final moments by those who should be helping them?
Minister reply
Let me give that assurance to my hon. Friend and, through him, to Henry’s family, as I did earlier in my statement. The family asked me a specific question when they responded yesterday. I have met that challenge and will ensure that we continue to meet that challenge, and that they get the answers they need and deserve.
Question
I thank the Home Secretary for coming to the House today, and I extend the sympathies of my constituents to Henry Nowak’s family over this heinous and horrific crime. There is speculation online about the identities of these police officers, which is putting at risk other officers across the country due to the irresponsible actions of extreme-right groups and others, fanning the flames of tension. Will the Home Secretary confirm what we are doing to protect our officers on a daily basis under these circumstances, and will she comment on the irresponsible speculation that is happening online?
Minister reply
Speculation online is not just irresponsible, but wholly unacceptable. As I said earlier, we should all take a stand against that. First, it is putting at risk people who are not connected with this case. Secondly, with regard to the officers who have been connected with this case, there is a proper process that must be allowed to take its course to investigate their conduct and make the appropriate findings in the proper way.
Shadow Comment
Chris Philp
Shadow Comment
Chris Philp responded to the statement by highlighting the family’s suffering and questioning the police response at Henry Nowak's murder scene. He criticised the apparent prioritisation of accusations over saving Henry’s life, urging for an urgent IOPC investigation into this matter. Philp also cited recent cases where racial considerations influenced policing negatively, leading to tragic outcomes like the Valdo Calocane case in Nottingham and the Southport dance class murders. He expressed concern about official police documents advocating differential treatment based on race and demanded immediate withdrawal of these policies. Philp concluded by echoing Mark Nowak’s sentiments that no verdict or sentence can bring Henry back.
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