Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministerial Statement

Southport Attack 2025-02-05

05 February 2025 · 13 other contributors

Opened by The Minister for Security Dan Jarvis

Crime & Law EnforcementMental HealthNHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

The Minister for Security raised concerns about southport attack 2025-02-05 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Government updates House on Southport murders from July 2024, where three girls were killed and several injured.
  • Perpetrator sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 52 years.
  • Government committed to addressing failures of state agencies in preventing the attack.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Government Statement

The Minister for Security

Today I am updating the House on the Government’s response to the tragic Southport murders that occurred in July last year, where three young girls were killed and several others injured. The perpetrator has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 52 years in prison. This attack raises serious questions about how various state agencies failed to identify and act upon warning signs before the incident. To address these issues comprehensively, the Government is committed to setting up a public inquiry that will examine this case as well as wider challenges around rising youth violence. The Prevent programme, which aims to identify individuals susceptible to radicalisation early on, has received nearly 7,000 referrals annually since 2015 and supported almost 5,000 people away from terrorism. However, the recent review of the Southport case highlighted that despite three referrals between 2019 and 2021, no action was taken under Prevent due to a lack of distinct ideology focus. The Government has accepted the recommendations for improvement and is implementing them urgently, including appointing Lord Anderson as an interim Prevent commissioner with oversight responsibilities.

Other contributors (13)
  • Chris Philp Con Croydon South

    Question

    Will the announced inquiry be a statutory one to ensure it has powers to compel witnesses and obtain documents?

    Minister reply

    The Government is committed to ensuring that the inquiry has all necessary powers, including those under the Inquiries Act 2005.

  • Dan Jarvis Lab Southport

    Question

    The MP questioned if the inquiry would cover communications after the event and whether more should have been disclosed quickly. He also mentioned a spelling error in Rudakubana’s Prevent database record, raising concerns about implementation of review recommendations.

    Minister reply

    The Minister confirmed that the inquiry will cover communication issues post-attack and assured that actions will be taken to implement review recommendations rapidly.

  • Lisa Smart LD Hazel Grove

    Question

    Asked about the role of the independent Prevent commissioner, whether it would be on a statutory footing, and measures to ensure watertight national security strategies.

    Minister reply

    The Minister stated that Lord Anderson will serve as an interim Prevent commissioner and work closely with him to establish the role. He also assured the effectiveness of national security agencies in keeping the public safe.

  • Paula Barker Lab Liverpool Wavertree

    Question

    Asked for assurance that the inquiry would look at how agencies talk to each other and assess threats together, and whether findings from previous independent Prevent learning reviews would be published.

    Minister reply

    The Minister assured that thorough scrutiny was given to the case through the coronial process and that similar incidents will receive comprehensive analysis.

  • Edward Leigh MP Con Gainsborough

    Question

    May I press the Minister further on transparency issues, specifically regarding ricin possession and terror manuals? Were decisions made to withhold information for reasons of racial tension or to prevent prejudicing a trial?

    Minister reply

    Ministers acted with consideration of avoiding contempt of court. The Home Secretary was informed about ricin possession on 2 August. Police investigations are fast-moving, and facts must be established without interfering with legal proceedings. We will review information management in future incidents.

  • Tulip Siddiq MP Lab Hampstead and Highgate

    Question

    How have conversations been held with social media companies regarding harmful content viewed by the perpetrator, which remained online for months?

    Minister reply

    The Government are clear that illegal content must be removed by tech companies. They will be required to identify and remove terrorist content swiftly under the Online Safety Act 2023, and further legislative measures may follow if necessary.

  • Julian Lewis MP Con New Forest East

    Question

    Will a presentation be made available on what happens in Prevent and Channel courses? Are there psychotic individuals who might still commit atrocities despite therapy?

    Minister reply

    A presentation will be arranged to provide insight into the courses. The Government are concerned about young people presenting with mental health, autism, or neurodivergence issues and are looking at pilot trials to manage data more effectively.

  • Mike Tapp MP Lab Dover and Deal

    Question

    Should the House unite on national security issues instead of playing political games? Did following legal advice lead to a successful prosecution?

    Minister reply

    The Government will always work in a constructive, cooperative way regarding national security. We ensured nothing was done that might interfere with ongoing proceedings and secure justice for victims.

  • Clive Betts MP Lab Sheffield South East

    Question

    How can the Minister address irresponsible social media behaviour in light of the tragic killing of Harvey Willgoose, where misleading comments and a video of CPR were shared?

    Minister reply

    Tech companies have a responsibility to keep users safe. Content like that described should not be available. The Government will raise concerns with tech companies about such issues.

  • Richard Tice MP Reform Boston and Skegness

    Question

    Does the review indicate that the killer was a terrorist, and are the Government clear in their acceptance of this as a terror incident?

    Minister reply

    The perpetrator has been found guilty of a terrorism-related offence and will be considered a registered terrorist offender subject to associated sentencing procedures.

  • Bayo Alaba MP Lab Southend East and Rochford

    Question

    Can the Minister assure that the Prevent learning review will provide answers for Sir David Amess's family, despite failures in agency communication?

    Minister reply

    Next week, we will publish the Prevent learning review of the attack on Sir David. The Home Secretary met Lady Amess recently and is grateful to the family for their important representations.

  • Fred Thomas Lab Plymouth Moor View

    Question

    The tragic events in Southport were horrific and the murderer should have been monitored better. Does the Minister agree that we must tackle disinformation online to prevent civil unrest?

    Minister reply

    My hon. Friend makes an important point about tackling disinformation online and ensuring a joined-up response to such incidents. We saw both the worst and the best of our country during these dark days, and it is crucial to remember the bravery of police officers who stood against threats.

Shadow Comment

Chris Philp

The shadow Home Secretary welcomes the inquiry announced by the Home Secretary but requests confirmation that it will be a statutory inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 to ensure it has the necessary powers. He also highlights the need for further investigation into mental health interventions, as evidenced in both the Southport case and the recent NHS report on Valdo Calocane's triple murder case. Philp suggests that Rudakubana could have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, potentially preventing the tragic outcome.

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