Sir Keir Starmer held two high-level emergency meetings today amid fears England is on course for the worst day of rioting since the violence broke out eight days ago.

The Prime Minister reacted to demands for him to be more proactive in his response to the riots, convening unplanned Cabinet and COBRA meetings ahead of expected far-right violence against immigration and asylum centres.

Police in Durham issued emergency stop and search powers this afternoon as they braced for more riots, with a dispersal order issued for the city centre from noon.

The move came ahead of a showdown tomorrow after leaks emerged showing far-right thugs planning targeted attacks on 39 locations up and down England.

Messages sent on Telegram to extremists earlier this week revealed plans to strategically target asylum centres, immigration lawyers’ offices and migrant hotels.

Those being encouraged to join the violence were told to “mask up” and “spread this as far and wide as you can”, as well as being issued with guidance on how to improvise balaclavas with t-shirts and advice on how to respond to pepper spray.

An army of 6,000 riot officers are now on standby to intervene and protect the 39 locations, as well as detectives from regional crime units who are targeting the ringleaders.

Ahead of the expected day of violence, Sir Keir Starmer finally bowed to mounting pressure and held both an emergency Cabinet meeting and an emergency meeting of the COBRA crisis centre to coordinate the government’s handling.

Speaking at the hastily arranged Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister pledged that the Government will “take all necessary action to bring the disorder to an end”.

He also set out newly announced plans for the “standing army” of officers on hand to be deployed and stamp down on violence tomorrow.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper set out how the new National Violent Disorder Programme is bringing together police and sharing intelligence in order for the authorities to swiftly intervene and make arrests.

Attorney General Lord Hermer also reiterated the swift progress by the Crown Prosecution Service in bringing thugs and rioters to justice, with dozens already pleading guilty over the past two days to violent disorder, as well as arson, abuse of police officers and looting.

COBRA met later in the evening, attended by relevant Cabinet ministers and senior police officers.

Yesterday the Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine told those planning on joining in the violence tomorrow: “Our message to anyone who plans to breed disorder is clear – you will face the full force of the law.

“Our officers put the safety of others above that of their own. They have faced dangerous and violent scenes and verbal abuse in the name of public service and keeping the King’s peace.

“They will continue to fulfil their duty in the coming days and weeks.

However Sir Keir’s response did come in for criticism by both the Conservatives, and a former head of the Metropolitan Police.

Sir Paul Stephenson, who served in the top policing job from 2009 to 2011, said he was “not hugely impressed” with Sir Keir’s preference for “strong phrases” over strong action.

Speaking on LBC this morning, Sir Paul said that the Prime Minister’s use of “phrases like 'standing army', 'ramping up', 'full force of the law'... I rather think communities expect the full force of the to be used against thugs irrespective of who is motivating them”.

He demanded that all the thugs on the street “need to face the full force of the law”.

Sir Paul added of the Prime Minister: “I get that politicians have to make strong statements”.

"But on a personal basis I'm not impressed by it. I will be impressed by politicians continuing to support the police in the difficult job they do - that has not always been the case, has it”

Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer should have called a COBRA meeting sooner, the former Met chief said that politicians sometimes call COBRA so they can be “seen to be doing something, and I get that”.

The Prime Minister’s announcement of a new “standing army” similarly came in for criticism from former Home Secretary James Cleverly, who warned Labour needs to quickly learn that now they’re in Government it’s no longer enough to “just say stuff”.

Mr Cleverly accused Sir Keir of being too focussed on the need to “sound tough”, and set out a long list of questions that the Government needs to answer regarding the so-called standing army.

They included: what new or additional powers the unit will have; what duties the unit will have; will it comprise new officers or redistributed officers; how much budget is being reallocated to support the unit; and where will it be based.

Mr Cleverly warned: “Actions speak louder than words”.

Sir Keir has continued to reject calls for Parliament to be recalled to allow MPs to debate and condemn the ongoing violence.

Writing in the Express today, Dame Priti Patel has said there is a “moral obligation” for Parliament to be recalled.

By contrast, the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont is now being recalled for a special meeting to debate the violence following a riot in Belfast last Saturday.

The recall was proposed by the Alliance Party, but backed by Sinn Féin, the Ulster Unionists, SDLP and others.

They will debate the motion: “This Assembly condemns the criminal damage and targeting of businesses in recent day… [and] rejects all forms of Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism”.

Nearly 400 individuals have now been arrested for their parts either in the riots, or stoking the flames online.

Yesterday the CPS charged 28-year-old Jordan Parlour with using threatening words and behaviour intended to stir up racial hatred online, the first to be charged for such a role in the recent violence.

At Cabinet, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said he is continuing to meet with social media companies to make clear their responsibility to work with the government to stop the spread of hateful disinformation and incitement.