Although officers in Liverpool and Durham issued dispersal orders to head off potential unrest, Tuesday night was free of the violent scenes that have played out across the UK since the initial disturbances in Southport a week earlier.

But officers are monitoring threats of further rioting against immigration law specialists, some of which had either closed or accepted offers of additional police protection.

A list of solicitors' firms and advice agencies has been shared in chat groups as possible targets for gatherings, with the message inviting people to "mask up" if they attend.

The Law Society of England and Wales described such gatherings as a "direct assault on our legal profession", while Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said threats against solicitors were "unacceptable" and those making them would "join the hundreds of others who have already been arrested by police within the last week".

Approximately 6,000 specialist officers will be at the ready by the end of the week for the so-called "standing army" of police announced by Sir Keir on Monday. These officers have been taken away from their regular duties to deal with ongoing disorder.

Britain sees quieter night after week of violence - follow live

In addition to more riot police being put on standby, forces are also stepping up neighbourhood policing patrols, teams of detectives are drawing on CCTV, body-worn footage and making use of retrospective facial recognition to identify perpetrators of violence, and intelligence teams are monitoring well-known influencers and organisers for activity.

More than 400 people have been arrested in connection to the riots, and charges continued to be brought on Tuesday night with defendants expected in court on Wednesday.

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The violence was sparked by false claims about the identity of the teenager suspected of killing three young girls and injuring several others in a knife attack in Southport on 29 July, and has seen shops looted and hotels housing asylum seekers attacked.

Speaking to reporters after chairing his second COBRA meeting in two days, the prime minister said: "That should send a very powerful message to anybody involved, either directly or online, that you are likely to be dealt with within a week.

"Nobody, but nobody, should be involved themselves in this disorder."

Stephen Parkinson, director of public prosecutions, said rioters could face terrorism charges.

"We are willing to look at terrorism offences. I'm aware of at least one instance where that is happening," he told the BBC.

Jim McMahon, communities secretary, backed Mr Parkinson's comments.

He told Sky News: "Clearly if the criminal threshold has been met and the prosecutor believes that that test has been met then it is right that the applicable law is applied."

But the prime minister has faced the accusation of "two-tier policing" - the belief that the far-right is being treated more harshly than other groups.

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of social media platform X, has been one of Sir Keir's loudest critics, and the South African tech mogul has used his website to publish incendiary posts.