LONDON, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Violent riots erupted in London with most senior members of the British government out of the country on vacation.
A Royal Air Force plane was dispatched to Italy late Monday to pick up Prime Minister David Cameron, The Guardian reported. Cameron, who was in Tuscany with his family, planned to chair an emergency meeting on the crisis Tuesday morning.
A source in Cameron's office said the spread of the violence from the Tottenham district in North London on Saturday to other neighborhoods around London and to other cities by Monday led to his decision to end his vacation.
"You only have to look at your television screen to see the situation has deteriorated," the source said.
London Mayor Boris Johnson, on holiday in British Columbia with his family, announced Monday he would be back in the city Tuesday afternoon, The Daily Telegraph reported. Johnson had earlier said he would not interrupt his vacation.
Home Secretary Theresa May returned from Switzerland on Monday. An aide told the Telegraph she had been in touch by phone with senior London police and officials.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the government had been dealing effectively with the crisis in Cameron's absence.
