Protests in Hartlepool do not reflect the concerns of communities where it happened nor indeed the country, the BBC claimed last night.

In a report on BBC News at Ten, BBC Home Editor Mark Easton reported on the protests in Hartlepool and across the country.

Speaking during his report, Easton said: "The far-right wants to create the impression that immigration is a threat to law and order. Police chiefs would argue that it's the far-right that represents the greater danger.

"And in fact, the evidence is that there is no link between the level of violence in the community and the numbers of asylum seekers or foreign workers.

"In fact, despite record immigration in the last few years, violent crime has never been lower.

"Despite the far-right false narrative, last night's trouble does not reflect the attitudes of the communities where it happened, nor indeed the country."

Columnist Kelvin MacKenzie reacted: "Shocking piece on the BBC News. Be helpful if the BBC reporter Mark Easton did some research before parachuting into tricky terrain."