Shabana Mahmood accepted the recommendations from the first phase of the Southport Inquiry in full and promised the Government will do ‘whatever is needed to protect the public’
Shabana Mahmood has vowed to make sure a damning report into the Southport murders is a turning point as she hit out at “unacceptable” failings.
The Home Secretary said she accepted the recommendations from the first phase of the Southport Inquiry, which found the killings could and should have been prevented. Ms Mahmood promised the government will do “whatever is needed to protect the public”.
Evil Axel Rudakubana murdered Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and tried to kill a further eight children and two adults. Despite multiple warnings that he posed a danger, opportunities to stop the atrocity were missed by a number of public organisations.
Ms Mahmood stated: “I am clear that the Inquiry must act as a turning point. In honour of the victims, their families and all affected, meaningful change must now follow.”
Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, attacked a group of children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024. Last year he was jailed for a minimum of 52 years.
Ms Mahmood warned that Britain must face up to the reality that there are others like him. She said: “We have already taken action to strengthen our response in several areas, including Prevent (the government’s counter-terrorism prevention programme), online safety and knife crime.
“These are important steps – and they will make a difference. But we know we must go further. That includes facing up to the reality that the perpetrator of this horrendous crime is not unique.
“Across this country, we face a threat from individuals who, while not driven by any clear ideology, are intent on conducting acts of extreme violence. Often, they are influenced by material and communities they encounter in dark corners of the online world.
“We must do more to understand this threat and adapt our response accordingly.”
Inquiry chairman Sir Adrian Fulford slammed police, NHS trusts and a local authority who passed the buck between each other – which meant warnings about Rudakubana’s behaviour never led to meaningful action.
He was referred to the Prevent programme three times, but the case was prematurely closed each time.
The Home Secretary said: “The Southport Inquiry identified fundamental failings, across many of our public services, in the years leading up to July 2024. These devastating failures led to the senseless killing of three young girls and violent attacks on others.
“My thoughts today are first and foremost with the families and friends of Bebe, Elsie and Alice and all the victims of that awful day. We owe it to them to right these wrongs.
“For that reason, we have accepted Sir Adrian’s recommendations for central government in full. My department will now drive this work across government, with the urgency it deserves.
“We will do whatever is needed to protect the public.”