Families of survivors of the Southport attack say they have yet to see hard evidence of action as the Government promised to do “whatever is needed to protect the public”.
Lawyers representing the loved ones of 22 girls injured say they need to see work being done as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood vowed to “right the wrongs” identified by the public inquiry into the killings.
Ms Mahmood on Thursday gave the Government’s official response to the first phase of the Southport Inquiry and accepted in full its recommendations.
The probe found the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, “could and should have been prevented”, if public bodies had taken steps to stop Axel Rudakubana, who was 17 when he launched the attack on the dance class in July 2024.
Families Demand Tangible Progress
Inquiry chairman Sir Adrian Fulford concluded there was a “fundamental failure” by any organisation, or multi-agency arrangement, to take ownership of the risk Rudakubana posed in the years leading up to his attack.
Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, of Fletchers Solicitors, which represents the families of 22 survivors, said: “Our clients are pleased that the Government have accepted all the recommendations outlined by the inquiry chair, but the parents of these girls are yet to see hard evidence of any real change.
“Much of today’s report outlines consultations and desires to amend policies or guidance across multiple agencies, but until the work is done these are just promises.
“It’s almost two years since the Southport attack devastated this community, but only days ago, another depraved teenager was sentenced for possessing numerous weapons and explosives to carry out a mass killing.
“The families affected by this tragedy need to see firm timelines and detailed plans around how changes will be implemented, and how their impact will be measured.
“They want to be involved in conversations with these agencies to inform changes. And finally, this must not get lost when our new prime minister is decided – delivering on these promises must remain a priority for whoever comes into power.”
Government Pledges Action
Earlier, Ms Mahmood 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.”
The second phase of the inquiry, due to open next week before resuming in September, will look at whether public bodies are adequately tackling the risk posed by young people fixated on extreme violence and consider the role of the internet and social media in influencing them to carry out attacks, as well as how effective rules around carrying knives are.
Concerns Over Implementation
It comes amid concerns over what Ms Mahmood previously described as “rising numbers of young men who are fascinated by extreme violence, boys whose minds are warped by time spent in isolation online”.
Nicola Brook, a solicitor at law firm Broudie Jackson Canter, who is representing the three adult survivors of the attack, said despite claims the Government were “now, and always, thinking of the victims”, her clients were “first told of this Government response by the media”, adding: “This is not the approach of a Government committed to putting the victims first and centring their lived experience in any future policy change.”
She said there was a “black hole” in mental health funding and unless this was addressed “as a matter of urgency” with work to tackle the root cause of people fixated by violence all other attempts to prevent similar attacks will “only go so far”.
“The question remains how safe are we when the emphasis on managing dangerous people remains on a multi-agency approach, which has been proven time and time again to fail,” she added.
Prevent Programme Under Scrutiny
In a letter to Tim Jacques, the new Prevent commissioner, Ms Mahmood said the Home Office also accepts all of the recommendations made in Lord David Anderson’s review of the programme published last year.
She said the Government had “already delivered significant changes to Prevent and will continue work to go further in some key areas”.
Rudakubana was referred to the Government’s anti-terror programme three times before he carried out the attack.
In his Southport inquiry findings, Sir Adrian said rejecting him for further action under Prevent was the “wrong decision” and there were three other “missed opportunities” to refer him back to the programme.
Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said Prevent needs “a fundamental reassessment and we must eliminate the racial bias stopping people speaking up”.
