There is “clear” Russian involvement in the far-right riots and security services will be looking closely at the instigators, a former head of the MI6 Russia desk has said.

Christopher Steele, the ex-spy who compiled a notorious dossier on Donald Trump’s relationship with Russia, said that security officials would be “looking very carefully” at the people encouraging anti-immigration riots in the past fortnight.

After a violent assault on a children’s dance class in Southport last month, rioters attacked mosques, police officers and a hotel in Rotherham housing asylum seekers. The unrest was whipped up by far-right activists online who falsely claimed that a Muslim immigrant was behind the attack.