London riots: 16,000 police on streets tonight

Published on 09/08/2011 14:29

The number of police officers on the streets of London is to be almost trebled tonight to 16,000 to deal with the "sickening" scenes of violence of recent nights, David Cameron said today.

Parliament will also be recalled for a day on Thursday to discuss the developments, the Prime Minister added.

Speaking outside Downing Street after chairing a meeting of the Government's emergency committee, Cobra, he said: "People should be in no doubt that we will do everything necessary to restore order to Britain's streets and to make them safe for the law-abiding."

Mr Cameron said he felt "huge sympathy" for the families who had suffered, "innocent people who've been burned out of their houses" and businesses who had seen their premises smashed, their products looted and their livelihoods potentially ruined.

He said he felt for all those who lived in fear because of the "appalling scenes that we've seen on the streets of our country".

He added: "People should be in no doubt that we are on the side of the law-abiding - law-abiding people who are appalled by what has happened in their own community."

Mr Cameron added: "I am determined, the Government is determined that justice will be done and these people will see the consequences of their actions."

He said those people were not just wrecking the lives of others and their communities, but also potentially their own lives.

Mr Bercow is returning to London today from his own holiday in the UK to prepare for Thursday's emergency debate, his office said.

It is the second time Parliament has been recalled during this summer's recess - the first so that MPs could debate the phone hacking scandal last month.

That was the first recall since 2002, when MPs and peers returned in September to debate Iraq and weapons of mass destruction.