Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, David Lammy, said he told US Vice President JD Vance that it was wrong to link immigration to the murder of a university student who was handcuffed while dying from a stab wound.
Lammy said he challenged Vance during what he described as a “robust” phone conversation, stressing that several of the claims made about the case were inaccurate.
“We had an agreeable conversation because we have got a relationship, but I wanted to make clear that I disagree with some of the facts that he was asserting and to present the facts to him,” Lammy said.
The exchange followed comments by Vance on social media, where he argued there should be “righteous anger” over the killing of 18-year-old Henry Nowak and suggested the crime was linked to large-scale immigration.
Murder Case Sparks Political Debate
Nowak died after being stabbed in the city of Southampton by 23-year-old Vickrum Digwa.
According to court proceedings, Digwa falsely told police that he had been the victim of a racist assault by Nowak. When officers arrived at the scene, they initially treated the injured teenager as a suspect before recognising the severity of his wounds and attempting to save his life.
Lammy rejected any attempt to connect the crime to immigration, noting that the convicted killer was a British citizen.
“This has got nothing to do with mass migration,” he said.
Life Sentence for Killer
Digwa was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 21 years before he becomes eligible for parole.
The case has become a focal point in Britain’s wider debate over immigration and public safety, drawing attention from anti-immigration activists and political groups.
Demonstrations linked to the case later turned violent in Southampton, where police officers were reportedly targeted with chairs, cans, rocks and flares during unrest involving far-right activists and other protesters.
The incident has further intensified political divisions over immigration, policing and public discourse in the United Kingdom.
