PM Is Asked To Link Southport And Sir David Amess Murders

Danny FullbrookBBC News, Essex

Getty Images Image of Sir David Amess, smiling, wearing a navy suit and olive green tie — Sir David Amess died after he was stabbed more than 20 times

The prime minister has been asked to consider including the murder of MP Sir David Amess in the public inquiry into the Southport killings.

The Conservative MP for Southend West was fatally stabbed on 15 October 2021 during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, by IS fanatic Ali Harbi Ali, who had been known to Prevent, the government programme aimed at stopping people becoming terrorists.

In a letter to Sir Keir Starmer, former Southend West Conservative MP Anna Firth, Sir David’s successor, said his family and those of the Southport victims had been equally failed by Prevent.

A Home Office spokesperson said the security minister would be giving a statement later on Wednesday.

Sir David was killed during a constituency surgery

PA Media Armed police officers outside the Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. — Sir David was killed during a constituency surgery

At his sentencing, the Old Bailey was told Ali had been known to authorities and was referred to Prevent, but continued plotting in secret.

A review of the contact between Prevent and Ali is expected to be published later.

Three girls were killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, on 29 July by Axel Rudakubana.

Liverpool Crown Court heard warnings were sounded over Rudakubana, including three referrals to Prevent, before he killed Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, Bebe King, six, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.

Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King were murdered by Axel Rudakubana

PA Media Three images of young girls posing for the camera - one with red hair and in school uniform, one with long dark hair and in a cream dress, and the other in a grey T-shirt with her brown hair in bunches — Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King were murdered by Axel Rudakubana

In the letter, Ms Firth wrote: “The Southport stabbings were the most atrocious, heinous crime but so too was the brutal murder of Sir David Amess, a serving Member of Parliament.

“Both have left behind grieving, heart-broken families who have been equally failed by the Prevent programme.

“Publishing the Prevent Learning Review into Sir David’s death, whilst welcome, is not sufficient.”

Katie Amess, the daughter of Sir David, has said multiple state failures linked his death to the Southport murders, with the killers having “the same kind of profile”.

Anna Firth was Sir David Amess’ successor as Southend West MP

UK PARLIAMENT Anna Firth MP official portrait photo taken in 2022. She has shoulder-length blonde hair and is smiling at the camera. — Anna Firth was Sir David Amess’ successor as Southend West MP

Ms Firth’s letter also suggested the inquiry could include other incidents where she argued Prevent had failed, such as the three 2020 Reading murders by Khairi Saadallah and the two London Bridge killings by Usman Khan.

She wrote: “Each grieving family has an equal right to answers and to an inquiry.

“It is also hugely in the public interest to examine all well-documented cases of Prevent failure, both to look for trends in lone wolf terrorism, but also to forge better strategies for prevention.”

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