Leicester disorder: Leader of review into 2022 unrest criticised

Ian Austin was a Labour MP before becoming a member of the House of Lords

The Muslim Council of Britain has criticised the choice of a new chairman to lead an investigation into the disorder in Leicester last year.

Dozens were arrested after days of vandalism, assaults, and attacks on property followed tensions involving mainly young men from Hindu and Muslim communities.

On Friday, the former Labour MP Lord Austin was appointed to lead a review.

The government has defended its decision.

A review was commissioned last year by Leicester city mayor Sir Peter Soulsby, but the academic chosen to lead it stepped down.

Previously Labour MP for Dudley North from 2005 until 2019, Lord Austin sat as an independent for his last nine months as MP, after resigning from the party due to what he claimed was a "culture of extremism, antisemitism and intolerance".

He was nominated for a life peerage in 2020, and sits as an independent in the House of Lords.

Last week he said the review would "listen to people in Leicester to get to the bottom of what happened and why", adding the city had a "proud [history] of tolerance and diversity".

Officers in Belgrave Road during large-scale disorder in Leicester

In 2021 Lord Austin caused controversy when he posted a tweet showing a fake new flavour for Ben and Jerry's ice cream for people in Gaza, named "Hamas Terror Misu" - after the company announced plans to stop selling its products in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Muslim Council said his appointment to lead the review had "created deep apprehension among Muslims and other communities in Leicester", and urged Levelling Up Minister Michael Gove to reconsider.

"Any such review led by Lord Austin will face questions about its credibility and legitimacy," the group said.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said it was "confident" the review would "strengthen community cohesion in Leicester", adding further panel members would be announced shortly.