Mabel Banfield-Nwachi

Ministers will keep the Online Safety Act under review , a government minister has said, after the London mayor called it “not fit for purpose” in light of the spread of misinformation, which he said contributed to this month’s far-right riots.

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, Nick Thomas-Symonds, the paymaster general, said Sadiq Khan raised a “legitimate policy challenge” when he told the Guardian there needed to be amendments to the Online Safety Act.

Khan added that the government should “very quickly … check if it is fit for purpose”, and said he did not think it was.

“I think very swiftly the government has realised there needs to be amendments to the Online Safety Act,” Khan said. “I think what the government should do very quickly is check if it is fit for purpose. I think it’s not fit for purpose.”

Thomas-Symonds said the government was prepared to “quickly review and consider” the act, and that police would “come after people” found to be inciting violence online.

“If we need to act in relation to online safety laws, we will. Sadiq Khan’s challenge is that we quickly review it, consider it, and that’s exactly what we will do … That’s a very legitimate policy challenge, it’s important to get that right.

“But irrespective of that policy debate, people who are acting now doing illegal things online like inciting violence, encouraging violence, organising violence, that is against the law now, and if you are doing that now, just as if you are engaging in threats or violent disorders on our streets, the police will come after you.”

“They will also come after you if you are behaving like that online as well,” he said.

Read more here: Online Safety Act to be reviewed after Sadiq Khan criticism, says minister

Police in Northern Ireland have appealed to the public to not allow criminals to hide in their communities, after another night of disorder.

PA Media reports the PSNI said it responded to several race-related hate crime incidents and other disorder on Thursday night.

Officers dealt with a number of reports of criminal damage to property including a car being set on fire and a window of a house being broken.

Assistant chief constable Melanie Jones said:

Our officers dealt with a fifth night of incidents such as criminal damage, disorder and arson. Those who are intent on causing disorder or committing offences, need to think of the consequences of their actions.

Yesterday we issued six images of people we want to speak to in relation to this recent disorder. One individual has since been identified and we thank the public for their assistance with this.

I am also appealing to the public directly, do not let these criminals hide in your community. Anyone with any information which can help identify any of these individuals should contact us.

Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has said that the government will respond to Sadiq Khan’s call for a review of the Online Safety Act.

He told listeners of the BBC Radio 4 programme “Sadiq Khan’s challenge is that we quickly review it, consider it, and that’s exactly what we will do. If we need to act in relation to online safety laws – we will.”

The act, which became law last October, gives Ofcom the power to fine social media companies up to £18m or 10% of their global turnover if they fail to take robust action against content inciting violence or terrorism.

Ofcom is still drafting guidelines on how it will implement the law, and enforcement is not expected to begin until next year.

“I think very swiftly the government has realised there needs to be amendments to the Online Safety Act,” Khan said in an interview with the Guardian. “I think what the government should do very quickly is check if it is fit for purpose. I think it’s not fit for purpose.”

Khan said there were “things that could be done by responsible social media platforms” but added: “If they don’t sort their own house out, regulation is coming.”

Read more here: Online Safety Act not fit for purpose after far-right riots, says Sadiq Khan

A government minister has said that there will continue to be additional police officers going into a weekend when the English Football League starts and high temperatures are expected, which has caused some concern that far-right violent disorder might flare again.

Asked about fears “far-right groups could seek to exploit” fixtures, Nick Thomas-Symonds told Sky News: “You always are vigilant about far-right activity and that is what the Government will continue to be.

He continued “going into this weekend, it’s important that the message continues to go out that if you engage in violent, thuggish behaviour on our streets, you’re going to be dealt with quickly by the criminal justice system.

“We’ve already seen sentences of up to three years handed down, people now facing the inside of a prison cell because of the appalling way in which they’ve conducted themselves in recent days.

“But also we’ll continue to make those additional officers available and where there are communities with particular fears – I was in Bristol for example yesterday talking to Muslim community leaders – we will make sure that we make protection available to those communities as well. It’s hugely important.”

Because of a new television deal with Sky Sports, for the first time on the opening weekend of the season all Championship matches have been moved to a 12.30 kick off, and all League One matches have been moved to a 5.30pm kick off, lengthening the time that authorities expect football fans to be travelling.

Thomas-Symonds is Paymaster General and minister for the Cabinet Office.

Government minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has said he does not think it is helpful for politicians to encourage people to attend peaceful protests while police forces have been stretched to cope with several days of violent far-right disorder.

PA Media reports the Cabinet Office minister told viewers of Sky News:

Having spoken to police officers yesterday about the strain that they are under, the hours that they are working, I certainly don’t think it helps for politicians to be encouraging even more people out on our streets.

Nonetheless, we should make that distinction between that tradition of British peaceful protest – which is very much part of our politics – and the violent thuggery we’ve seen on our streets.

People who turn up outside with weapons are not coming to protest about anything – they are coming with criminal intent. We should be very clear about that distinction.”

Good morning. Welcome to our rolling coverage of UK politics. Here are your headlines …

• A government minister has said it is “unhelpful” for politicians to encourage people to attend peaceful demonstrations while the police are under strain from far-right violent disorder

• Laws designed to counter misinformation are “not fit for purpose” and must be revisited after the spread of online falsehoods contributed to this month’s far-right riots, the mayor of London has said

• Muslim NHS workers report rise in racist abuse since far-right riots began

• The number of people applying to work or study in UK falls by more than a third

• A leading rightwing thinktank has called for an end to the two-child limit on benefits in a move that will put further pressure on the Labour government to rethink its stance

It is Martin Belam with you for the next few hours. You can get in touch at martin.belam@theguardian.com.