Lee Anderson’s remarks on airport video ‘irresponsible’ – Burnham

Labour’s Foreign Office minister Baroness Jenny Chapman also criticised Mr Anderson for his comments.

She told BBC 2’s Politics Live: “I think Lee is completely wrong to rush to a conclusion like that, not in full possession of all the facts.”

She added: “I don’t think that it is right for politicians to go around grandstanding and trying to make political capital out of this at this stage.”

Earlier Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he understood the public’s concern over the footage and there was now “a process” following the suspension of the officer.

Paul Waugh, Labour MP for Rochdale, where the man who was filmed being kicked lives, said the video was “shocking and disturbing” and he would be meeting the man’s family later.

He said police faced a difficult job, but they had to show the highest standards of conduct in their duties.

Akhmed Yakoob, the lawyer representing the men involved in the incident, said one of them was admitted to hospital with severe head pain.

“This is a family of a serving police officer in Manchester – and they want justice,” he said.

“They are proud of their family member being a police officer – their brother, their son – but imagine how they’re feeling now?

“We need answers from Greater Manchester Police because it’s ridiculous. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. It’s becoming common – police brutality against people of BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] backgrounds. It’s disgusting.”