Revealed: The incidents that almost triggered UK emergency alerts | Politics News
The Southport riots, a falling Chinese rocket and parasitic water all almost caused the UK government to use its emergency alerts system.
Launched in 2023, the alerts warn people of a danger to life in their area.
Testing has seen mobile phones play siren-like sounds with messages displaying on screens.
Now, research from the PA news agency has uncovered when the alerts were almost sent for real.
The most notable of these was the Southport riots in the summer of 2024.
Widespread unrest erupted following the murder of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July of that year.
After the killings, and following online rumours that the perpetrator was a small boat migrant, violent rioting broke out in several locations.
Mosques, community centres, libraries and hotels housing asylum seekers were all targeted.
A recent government analysis found the situation was “largely instigated” by far-right groups.
British-born Axel Rudakubana later admitted to the murders.
According to the information obtained by PA through a Freedom of Information request, the situations “represent ‘near misses’ where the Cabinet Office has considered the use of the Emergency Alerts capability, which was ultimately stood down”.
Another time, the government considered sending every phone in the UK a message was earlier in 2026.
It was thought debris from the Chinese Zhuque-3 space rocket could land on Britain after re-entering the atmosphere.
This was wide of the mark, as the wreckage ended up hitting the water more than 1,000 miles south of New Zealand, near the Antarctic.
The government said they considered the alert “due to the size of the debris, which was larger than usual”.
Back in May 2024, an outbreak of the parasite cryptosporidium contaminated tens of thousands of people’s drinking water in Devon, with some left requiring hospitalisation
The government considered using the emergency alert to tell them to boil water before using it.
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In September 2025, there were concerns that the Kilroot gas power station in Northern Ireland might have to be shut off as it was nearing its yearly running limit.
Having been told power shortages might be on the cards, the Cabinet Office looked into warning people via their mobiles – but decided against it.
Alerts were also considered for severe weather during Storm Babet in 2025, and during rain and wind in Scotland and the North East of England in 2023.
A government spokesperson said: “As the public rightly expects, the government actively considers how to respond to a wide range of potential events.
“The emergency alerts system is a vital public safety tool designed to be used sparingly. Its activation threshold is very high and strictly reserved for threats to life.”