Reaction to Henry Nowak murder shows why the government needs to channel a real ‘common sense’

By George Newth, Lecturer in Politics and member of Reactionary Politics Research Network, University of Bath

The murder of student Henry Nowak on December 3 2025 shocked the UK. Now the case has also become a pretext for attempts by some on the right to divide communities with demands for “common sense”.

It leaves the Labour government with an important choice: move away from its failed strategy of trying to win over Reform UK voters, or continue down a route that risks normalising divisive rhetoric.

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