Fifteen years ago today, a man called Mark Duggan died after being shot by police. What originally started as a peaceful protest outside the Tottenham Police station soon escalated into riots that spread across London and then the whole of England. For about a week, the news was dominated by tales of shops ablaze, High streets being looted, political malaise and a feeling that the whole UK was unravelling. There were many factors that fed into the riots. For me though, the most interesting thing was why it all stopped. The reasons were very English and there were two. The first was that it started raining and the Brits don't like rioting when its raining. The second thing was that the football season started and all of the hooligans, who had no outlet, could go back to watching football. That is a very glib comment about a very serious issue, an issue that paralysed the country with fear.
What is less discussed is the fact that riots are a regular part of English culture. I have mates who used to always participate in riots, whenever they occurred. Not because they were enraged with social injustice. They would see it as a chance to get a new radio or a telly. They also enjoyed taking part in mayhem. Generally, the people who are present at the spark that starts the riots get fed up when things they get out of hand. It means that the injustice that started the trouble gets overlooked and the media narrative becomes about the damage and the looting.
One of the interesting aspects of the 2011 riots was the Police response. The then Tory government had been putting pressure on Police budgets and resources. I know Police officers who were happy to see the riots taking place as they knew it would put any budget cuts on the back burner. I don't believe that the Police deliberately let it escalate to the extent it did, but they were certainly not upset. It also meant plenty of overtime.
It was the first major public order challenge for the then coalition government. They made a complete pigs ear of it in truth. David Cameron was on holiday when the riots hit. He got a lot of flack for this, but even Prime Ministers are allowed to go on holiday. It is reading the room and coming home when the country is burning that was the problem. In some ways, it demonstrated David Camerons biggest problem as PM. He really had no clue what ordinary people were thinking. I suspect that this is why he made his biggest mistake, calling the Brexit referendum and getting all of his posh, out of touch mates to front the campaign.
To mark the event, today I re-read some of the blogs I wrote at the time. This passage from a blog on 12th August absolutely sums up my feelings.
What is abundently clear to me is that in 30 years, nothing much has changed for those at the bottom of the ladder. Bankers vandalised the economy a couple of years ago. They are doing OK now. Last year politicans were exposed as greedy self serving money grabbing creeps, trousering everything they possibly could at our expense. I've no time whatsoever for anyone who robs, loots or steals. I just think that David Cameron should look at some of the people sitting behind him in the chamber, before he starts getting too self righteous.
How many of them should have been locked up by now? The trouble with having double standards is that the average person in the street is not fooled. We have to start building a fair society. That means that the people at the top have to be held to account, just as the people at the bottom should be.
Of course the rich and powerful always think different rules apply to them
I look at the UK now We had thirteen more years of the same. Then we had Sir Keir Starmer, another posh bloke, who couldn't read the room and who didn't understand ordinary British voters. Now we have Andy Burnham. All politicians have failings and weaknesses. We don't know what his are yet, but he is not out of touch. I hope we have a period of calm stable, sensible government. At some point,just as Cameron was fifteen years ago, Andy Burnham will have a real test of leadership. I hope, for all our sakes he passes it.
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And finally, I must mention Mr Eddie Nestor, presenter at BBC Radio London. He's been off work receiving chemotherapy, but came in to present his show today for the first time in eight weeks. I really like Eddie (don't tell him) and it was great to hear him. He did a great show. I am sure that he will go home tonight and crash and burn with exhaustion. He said he wanted to present the show today on the anniversary of the riots. That inspired me to write todays blog. I recall when I had treatment for prostate cancer three years ago on Sunday, I asked my surgeon before whether he thought it would be wise to perform with The False Dots a month later on the 15th Spetember. His response "Yes, if you are mad". I don't think he realised that I took this as an emphatic YES! I suspect that Eddies family and medical team probably feel the same about him going to work today. Sometimes, you just gotta do what you gotta do and I salute him, even if it is bonkers. None of us know how long weve got and the wick burns faster than we realise. Live for today whilst you can!
We're delighted to welcome our friend and colleague @EddieNestorMBE back to the studio for his first show on BBC Radio London since he announced he's undergoing treatment for cancer.
— BBC London (@BBCLondonNews) August 6, 2026
Listen live: https://t.co/08ieOuDt9b pic.twitter.com/7U7O2pDAED
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