Efforts to combat violent-fixated individuals after Southport attack should have 'gone faster'

A Cabinet Office deputy director has told a public inquiry he wishes efforts to combat the threat from violence-fixated individuals such as the Southport attacker had gone “faster and further”.

Peter Abbott, deputy director of counter-terrorism and serious and organised crime in the National Security Secretariat at the Cabinet Office, gave evidence to the Southport Inquiry on Monday about steps which had been taken by the Government in the wake of the July 2024 attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, in which Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine were killed.

The hearing was told of meetings with senior officials from Government departments which took place last year after then prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said the attack should be a “line in the sand”, following the sentencing of Axel Rudakubana.

The first phase of the inquiry found Rudakubana, who was referred to anti-terror programme Prevent three times, “could and should have been” stopped from carrying out the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop.

The inquiry heard in March 2025 the National Security Council said there needed to be a “step change”.

David Illingworth, representing victims of the Southport attack, asked Mr Abbott if there had been one.

Mr Abbott said: “I think we have, as a system, worked hard on this issue. Do I wish it could have gone faster and further? Yes, I do, but I think we are in a markedly different position today than we were in July 2024.”

Funding constraints meant the Home Office had to look at low-cost options instead of more ambitious proposals, the inquiry has heard.

The hearing, held in London, was told plans for a “national prevention gateway” to manage and track violence-fixated individuals were proposed but the Home Office instead had to focus on “zero or low-cost options” in the short term.

Mr Abbott said although the proposal had not been fully costed, early work showed it would cost hundreds of millions of pounds.

When asked how it could be right that only zero or low-cost options were considered, he said it was a matter for the Home Office who would have had discussions with the Treasury about resourcing.

He later said his “personal view” was that he wished more resources had been given to establishing the system.

He added: “I don’t think that precludes resource being allocated to this effort in the future and I would be fairly confident that indeed will be the case, although I cannot pre-judge any discussion the Home Office would be having with the Treasury.”

The second phase of the inquiry is examining how violence-fixated individuals are managed and the role of the internet in influencing and enabling them.

It will continue on Tuesday.