The UK government has formally rejected parliamentary calls to abolish the religious exemption for carrying bladed weapons in public following the murder of 18-year-old Henry Nowak, as the Attorney General announces a formal review into the killer’s prison sentence.
The policy confirmation occurred during a highly emotional session in the House of Commons, where lawmakers debated the government’s response to both the fatal stabbing and the deeply controversial police bodycam footage capturing Nowak’s final moments.
Defending the Religious Exemption
Nowak was murdered by 23-year-old Vikram Digua, a Sikh man who was carrying a Kirpan—a ceremonial dagger—as part of his religious uniform.
Following questions from lawmakers regarding whether the government would amend the exemptions allowing knives to be carried for religious or cultural purposes, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood firmly defended the existing law. She stated the exemption represents a long-standing balance between public safety and religious freedom supported by successive governments.
“We are not seeking to move away from our respect for religious freedom,” Mahmood told the House. She firmly separated the religious practice from the crime, stating: “There is a world of difference between a person acting out of religious observance, carrying something as an act of faith, and somebody unsheathing that weapon and using it to kill somebody.”
Downing Street subsequently echoed the Home Secretary’s stance, with a Number 10 spokesperson stating the government is not looking to ban the Kirpan, noting that the blade was ceremonial until it was produced in the attack, at which point it became a murder weapon.
Sentence Review and Police Conduct
The political debate coincides with an announcement from the Attorney General’s Office. Lord Hermer has formally received multiple requests to review Digua’s life sentence—which carries a minimum term of 21 years—over widespread public concerns that the tariff is “unduly lenient.” The Attorney General has 28 days to conclude the review.
Meanwhile, the conduct of the Hampshire Police officers who handcuffed the dying teenager remains under intense scrutiny. Nowak’s local MP, Jen Croft, addressed the chamber, expressing horror that when the teenager lay dying, “what he got was accusation and he was disbelieved.”
When pressed on whether the officers involved had been suspended pending the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation, Mahmood declined to comment. The Home Secretary stated that suspension decisions and the pace of the inquiry are matters strictly for the independent watchdog, though she assured the House that “no stone will be left unturned.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is expected to speak publicly on the matter later today, reportedly told his cabinet that he was “appalled” after viewing the bodycam footage.
