Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has given police his “full backing” to take any action necessary to respond to “extremists” attempting to “sow hate” after scenes of disorder in England and Northern Ireland this week

First Minister John Swinney has warned against “unhelpful speculation” relating to the stabbing of a woman in Stirling.

The 21-year-old woman was treated in hospital for a “non-life threatening” injury on Saturday and a 29-year-old man was arrested in relation to the attack, which took place about 8.20pm on the town’s King Street.

Social media reports on Saturday suggested three people had been stabbed and the attacker had appeared to be Muslim. However, in an unusual move for the force, Police Scotland said the man arrested was white and from the local area.

The rumour had been promoted by Tommy Robinson, the founder of the English Defence League (EDL). The claim, described by police as “false”, comes amid unrest across England and in Belfast in recent days after the murders of three young girls in Southport on Monday.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, were killed in the attack, with 17-year-old Axel Muganwa Rudakubana appearing court charged with the crime.

A statement from Police Scotland said: “We are aware of speculation and false information circulating on social media regarding this incident. Extensive inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and we would urge people not to add to this speculation online.”

Mr Swinney, who stressed there was no wider threat to the public, said: “This is a serious incident and my thoughts are with the victim. This is an isolated incident and I have been advised there is no wider threat to the public.

“I would encourage everyone to refrain from unhelpful speculation on social media.”

The First Minister’s intervention comes as anti-immigration demonstrators attacked police and smashed the windows of a hotel, as unrest across the country continues. Masked rioters launched lengths of wood and sprayed fire extinguishers at police officers outside a Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Videos from social media appeared to show demonstrators storming into the hotel, with reports of a fire inside. A police helicopter circled overhead, and at least one injured officer in riot gear was carried away as the atmosphere turned febrile.

Elsewhere, Greater Manchester Police said a Section 34 dispersal notice has been authorised covering Bolton until 10pm on Sunday, where a protest was expected later.

Merseyside Police have introduced two section 60 orders giving officers greater stop-and-search powers covering Liverpool and Southport.

The orders were put in place at 2pm on Sunday and will stay active for a 12-hour period until 2am on Monday.

Inspector Al McKeon said: “The scenes we saw yesterday in Liverpool and Walton, and on Tuesday in Southport, were despicable. They left dozens of officers requiring hospital treatment and have already led to the arrests of a total of 33 suspects.”

Police have “all the resources they need” to deal with riots and disorder, a minister said earlier.

Teams worked through the night to reopen streets in cities like Hull, where volunteers armed with brushes turned up from 7am to assist council crews.

“Yesterday we saw the worst of Hull but already today we have seen the best,” councillor Jack Haines of Hull City Council said.

Asked whether enough is being done to respond to the disorder, policing minister Dame Diana said the Government has been “reassured” that forces are able to meet the scale of the challenge.

“The police have made it very clear that they have all the resources they need at the moment … they have the powers that they need,” the minister told BBC News.

The far-right has drawn widespread condemnation as the organising force behind scenes of disorder in multiple towns and cities in the wake of the killings of three young girls in Southport on Monday.

False claims had spread online that the suspect, later identified as 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana from Lancashire, was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.

Sir Keir held crisis talks with ministers on Saturday over the unrest, with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood telling colleagues “the whole justice system is ready to deliver convictions as quickly as possible”.

There was violence on Saturday in towns and cities such as Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Bristol, Manchester, Blackpool and Belfast which saw several police officers injured.

John Swinney makes 'unhelpful speculation' statement over Tommy Robinson-fuelled 'false' stabbing claim