British Prime Minister Keir Starmer did not announce 50 million pounds ($67 million) to protect Muslim communities after a mass stabbing on a London-bound train, contrary to online claims.
“British prime minister Keir Starmer announces £50m of further funding to protect Muslim communities. It comes after 10 British citizens were stabbed on a train on their way home,” said a November 2 X post, viewed 1.5 million times.
British police said 11 people were injured in the knife attack on the train on November 1.
Reuters found no evidence or any credible reports that Starmer or his Downing Street office announced a 50-million-pound security fund for Muslim communities after November 1.
Nine days earlier Starmer had announced, opens new tab 10 million pounds in security funding to protect mosques and Muslim faith centres from “hate crime and attacks”.
According to the government’s press release at the time, the funding “means more sites can be protected and builds on the £29.4 million already available this year for mosques and Muslim faith schools.”
Contacted for comment about the social media claims, a spokesperson for Starmer’s Downing Street office pointed Reuters to its October 23 announcement of 10 million pounds.
Starmer posted on X, opens new tab in the hours after the mass stabbing that the incident was “deeply concerning”. “My thoughts are with all those affected, and my thanks go to the emergency services for their response.”
VERDICT
False. Starmer did not announce 50 million pounds in funding to protect Muslim communities after a mass stabbing on a train on November 1. More than a week before the incident, he announced 10 million pounds to counter rising anti-Muslim hate crimes.
Source: Reuters
