Deputy PM Rebukes Vance for Misplacing Blame on Immigration
WHO:
AP News - David Lammy stated he has a friendship with JD Vance based on their religious beliefs and family backgrounds.
ABC News - David Lammy, Britain's deputy prime minister and justice minister; JD Vance, U.S. Vice President; Henry Nowak, 18, university student; Vickrum Digwa, 23, convicted murderer; Mark Nowak, victim’s father; Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
WHAT:
The Guardian - David Lammy described watching the police bodycam footage of Henry Nowak's arrest as “deeply traumatic” and compared it to memories of George Floyd and Stephen Lawrence.
The Guardian - Three additional individuals have been charged with violent disorder in connection with protests in Southampton, bringing the total number of people charged to 14.
ABC News - David Lammy told JD Vance he was wrong to blame immigration for Henry Nowak's murder.
ABC News - Vickrum Digwa was convicted of murder for stabbing Henry Nowak with an 8-inch (21 centimeter) Sikh dagger and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term.
The Guardian - 14 people have been charged with violent disorder following protests in Southampton over Nowak's death.
WHERE:
ABC News - The murder occurred in Southampton, England.
The Guardian - Protests took place in Southampton.
WHEN:
ABC News - Henry Nowak died in December.
ABC News - Vickrum Digwa was sentenced this week.
The Guardian - The attorney general is reviewing Digwa's sentence after receiving multiple requests.
WHY:
The Guardian - Lammy emphasized to Vance that the murder case had “nothing to do with mass migration” and that the killer was British.
ABC News - JD Vance claimed there should be “righteous anger” in response to the murder, linking it to immigration.
ABC News - David Lammy emphasized that the murder had “nothing to do with mass migration” and that the killer was British.
HOW:
AP News - Lammy urged Vance that it is “not helpful to tweet in this way” regarding the Nowak case, highlighting the family's desire to avoid division and hatred.
ABC News - David Lammy described his phone call with JD Vance as “robust” and aimed to present facts to him.
The Guardian - Lammy stated that the democratic process is working well and highlighted ongoing investigations into police conduct related to the case.
(UPDATED June 7, 2026 17:18 UTC)
David Lammy has expressed a friendship with JD Vance, rooted in their shared religious beliefs and family backgrounds. He described the police bodycam footage of Henry Nowak's arrest as “deeply traumatic,” drawing parallels to the memories of George Floyd and Stephen Lawrence, while also noting that three additional individuals have been charged with violent disorder in connection with protests in Southampton, raising the total to 14. Lammy urged Vance to refrain from divisive tweets about the Nowak case, emphasizing that the murder had “nothing to do with mass migration” and that the perpetrator was British, reflecting the family's wish to avoid further division and hatred.
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(UPDATED June 7, 2026 15:20 UTC)
In a heated exchange, David Lammy, Britain's deputy prime minister, firmly told U.S. Vice President JD Vance that blaming immigration for the murder of university student Henry Nowak was misguided, emphasizing that the convicted murderer, Vickrum Digwa, is British. Digwa was sentenced to life in prison this week for stabbing Nowak with an 8-inch Sikh dagger, and following the tragedy, 14 individuals have been charged with violent disorder during protests in Southampton. Lammy described his conversation with Vance as "robust," aiming to clarify the facts while also noting that the attorney general is reviewing Digwa's sentence after multiple requests.