It should come as no surprise that ministers have accepted all the recommendations made in the first phase of the Southport inquiry. The investigation identified a raft of failings by public bodies to prevent the murder of three girls by Axel Rudakubana, which the government has promised to ‘urgently address’. The Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, vowed to ‘right the wrongs’ identified by the investigation and said that the government will do ‘whatever is needed to protect the public’. Strong words indeed, but it is by their actions that ministers will be judged, and rightly so.

The impression persists that governments, of whatever political persuasion, remain behind the curve when it comes to addressing the growing threat posed by individuals hellbent on extremism and violence

The impression persists that governments, of whatever political persuasion, remain behind the curve when it comes to addressing the growing threat posed by individuals hellbent on extremism and violence

The inquiry, commissioned by then Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, was set up to examine the overall timeline of the killer’s history and interactions with a range of state bodies. The first phase of the inquiry finished last November after taking evidence over nine weeks, and the........

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