Britain’s Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy has publicly stated he challenged U.S. Vice President JD Vance over comments linking immigration to the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak.
Lammy, who also serves as justice minister, described the Saturday phone call with Vance as “robust,” pushing back on what he called inaccurate assertions about the case.
“We had an agreeable conversation because we have got a relationship, but I wanted to make him clear that I disagree with some of the facts that he was asserting and to present the facts to him,” Lammy told Sky News.
Vance posted on social platform X that there should be “righteous anger” over Nowak’s death, appearing to blame it in part on “the mass invasion of migrants, many of whom despise the West and the people who love it.”
Nowak died in December after being stabbed by Vickrum Digwa, 23, in the English city of Southampton, with Digwa using an 8-inch Sikh dagger during the attack.
Digwa, who is Sikh, falsely told police he was the victim of a racist assault by Nowak, leading officers to initially treat the wounded teenager as a suspect before noticing his injury and attempting to resuscitate him.
Digwa was subsequently convicted of murder and sentenced this week to life in prison with a minimum 21-year term, and Lammy was quick to point this out to Vance.
“This has got nothing to do with mass migration,” Lammy said, emphasizing to Vance that the killer was British and is now behind bars.
Lammy also told Vance “it’s not helpful to tweet in this way, partly because of what the Nowak family have asked for,” urging respect for the family’s explicit wishes against division.
The victim’s father, Mark Nowak, has publicly stated the case was not about racism or religion, and that he did not want his son’s death used to create “further division, hatred or tension.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office had already issued a statement Friday criticizing those “trying to interfere in our democracy and seeking to stir up division on our streets” in response to Vance’s comments.
The case has been seized upon by anti-immigration activists and far-right figures across the U.K., with police in Southampton pelted with chairs, cans, rocks, and flares during a demonstration on Tuesday following the verdict.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct is currently investigating the actions of officers who were present at the scene when Nowak lay dying while handcuffed on the ground.
Despite their political differences, Lammy and Vance have developed a notable friendship grounded in shared religious beliefs and family backgrounds, making this public dispute a significant moment in the U.S.-U.K. relationship.
