Southport families say ‘questions remain’ as UK government promises action

Families of the girls murdered in the Southport attack say those who failed to act must lose their jobs because the UK government promised to do “whatever is needed to protect the public”. Chris Walker, director of serious injury at law firm Bond Turner speaking on behalf of the three bereaved families, said “important questions remain” because Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood vowed to “right the wrongs” identified by the public inquiry into the killings. Ms Mahmood on Thursday gave the UK 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 (9), Bebe King (6), and Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), “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 the seaside town in July 2024. Inquiry chairman 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. Mr Walker said the government response showed “significant progress” in some areas around the planning of mass casualty attacks and non-ideological violence. He added: “However, important questions remain around legal duties to report known threats and how accountability for institutional and individual failings will be secured. “There are several individuals whose actions fell short of expected professional standards and, had different decisions been made, we may not be where we are today. “The government has been clear that the ‘missed opportunities’ identified were unacceptable. The families and I firmly believe that, alongside action and legal reform to prevent this kind of attack from ever happening again, there must also be accountability for those who failed to act appropriately. “Those individuals who failed the most must lose their jobs. “Otherwise, the public will have no confidence that an atrocity like this will be prevented from occurring again.” 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. “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.” Ms Mahmood said earlier on Thursday: “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 Mr Fulford’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. 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”. “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 added. 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 would “only go so far”. Rudakubana was referred to the government’s anti-terror programme three times before he carried out the attack. In his inquiry findings, Mr Fulford said rejecting the teenager 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”.