NewsBeat
Starmer to be grilled at PMQs over Southport killings as Axel Rudakubana’s family go into hiding: latest
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Sir Keir Starmer will be grilled at PMQs after announcing a public inquiry into the Southport killings and vowing to leave no stone unturned in identifying potential failings.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, admitted on Monday to murdering three girls aged between six and nine after his frenzied knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Merseyside last year.
The then-17-year-old travelled five miles from his family home to the Hart Space, where he ambushed the youngsters. Since then, The Community Church, which his father attended, revealed the killer’s family have been moved to a secret location for their protection.
“The Rudakubana family have been devastated following this terrible incident and they have been moved by the police, for their protection, from their home in Banks to a secret location that we are unaware of,” it said.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday, Sir Keir promised action to end how “shockingly easy” it is for children to buy knives, including forcing online retailers to put in place tougher checks.
Starmer to be grilled at PMQs after launching inquiry into Southport attack
Sir Keir Starmer is set to be grilled at PMQs after announcing a public inquiry into the Southport killings, and vowing to leave no stone unturned in identifying potential failings ahead of the July attack.
Following Axel Rudakubana’s guilty plea on Monday, it emerged that the killer had been referred to anti-terror scheme Prevent three times prior to the attack in which he murdered three young girls and attempted to kill 10 others.
In an address to the nation on Tuesday, the prime minister firmly rejected suggestions of a cover-up by Reform and the Conservatives, saying he would have risked leaving the Southport victims’ families without justice by making information about Rudakubana public ahead of the trial.
Prosecutors will reveal further information about Rudakubana on Thursday ahead of his sentencing.
Andy Gregory22 January 2025 11:08
Ex-Met Assistant Commissioner urges increase in counter terrorism resources or warns lone attackers will keep slipping through net
The former head of counter terrorism policing has called for an urgent increase in resources for counter terrorism or feared lone attackers like Axel Rudakubana will continue to slip through the net.
A public inquiry into the Southport killer was announced on Monday after it emerged he had “contact with a range of different state agencies throughout his teenage years”, according to the home secretary, including three referrals to government anti-extremism scheme Prevent before the killings due to concerns about his obsession with violence.
Former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu described these agencies as “unfunded, untrained, [and] largely staffed by frontline staff who are overwhelmed by demand”, warning: “This will come with a big bill, but that bill has got to be paid if we want to be safe.”
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 10:23
Ex-UK counter terrorism chief brands government plan to extend terrorism definition a ‘mistake’
The former head of counter terrorism policing in the UK has branded the government’s proposal to extend the definition of terrorism to encompass atrocities carried out by lone attackers like the Southport killer “a mistake” .
Former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu explained that violent individuals could “revel” in being called a terrorist as he also warned against the use of the term “lone wolf” for risk of “glorifying” perpetrators.
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 09:46
Rudakubana described as ‘ticking time bomb’ by former classmate
After his guilty plea, fresh details emerged claiming Axel Rudakubana had been excluded from secondary school over allegations he was carrying a knife and later returned to attack someone with a hockey stick.
One former classmate told The Guardian he was a “ticking time bomb”, while others told The Times he was an odd pupil who would be disruptive in class, to the point that the phrase “doing an Axel” had become common among the class.
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 09:04
Garage owner tells of confronting killer moments before hearing screams from young girls’ holiday class
A garage owner who confronted Axel Rudakubana just before the Southport attack said he had no idea of the “unspeakable” horror the agitated teen was about to unleash – as he called for him to never see the light of day again.
Reliving the horrific events for the first time since 18-year-old Rudakubana pleaded guilty, Colin Parry said all he could see was the killer’s eyes when the knifeman, wearing a bright green hoodie and Covid face mask, arrived on Hart Street in a taxi and took a wrong turn into the entrance of his garage.
When the 63-year-old swore at him and told him to pay the driver, who had followed to demand payment, Rudakubana leant forward and replied: “What you gonna do?”
“He’s agitated, shuffling around because the lad realises he’s in the wrong place, yeah, and walks out,” he told The Independent. “Doesn’t run out. He just walked out, but he pushed past the taxi.”
Moments later screams were heard from the Hart Space studio next door, where 26 girls were making bracelets and singing at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday class. By the time Mr Parry arrived at the scene, his colleague was running out carrying an injured child who he laid on the floor in front of him. His white spray suit was soaked red with blood, he recalled.
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 09:01
Review of terror law would be a mistake, experts warn PM after Southport murders
Expanding terror laws to encompass atrocities carried out by lone attackers like the Southport killer would be a mistake – and such threats are not new, security experts have warned.
Sir Keir Starmer announced a review of terror laws to address “extreme violence carried out by loners, misfits, young men in their bedrooms” following the Southport murders.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty on Monday to murdering three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 09:00
Full story: Starmer promises action to end ‘shockingly easy’ access to knives online
Online retailers will be forced to put in place tougher checks to stop youngsters buying knives after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it is “shockingly easy” for children to buy blades.
Southport murderer Axel Rudakubana used a knife bought from Amazon to kill three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, in July.
The Government has promised new laws, which could see retailers forced to ask anyone buying a knife for two types of identification.
Read the full story here:
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 08:46
Lord Carlile backs calls for government to crack down on online retailers selling knives to under-18s
Lord Carlile has backed calls for the Government to crack down on online retailers selling knives to under-18s.
It comes after it was revealed Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was able to order a knife on Amazon when he was still aged 17 and had been convicted over violence.
The sale of knives with a fixed blade of more than three inches long to under-18s is illegal in England and Wales, with retailers facing fines or prosecution if they breach the law.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning, Lord Alex Carlile said: “The companies concerned have indicated that they’re capable of doing online scans while people are going onto their sites, which are a rudimentary but reasonably reliant test of their age.
“And, also, we all have some form of identity.
“Students often have identity cards for their student lives, and so I don’t see any reason why people who are buying things online should not have to establish that they’re at appropriate age to buy those things online.
“It’s no different from going into a bar and being refused service without proving that one is over 18.”
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 08:45
Lord Carlile calls for more regulation of social media companies after Southport attack
Lord Carlile has called for more regulation of social media companies to prevent potential perpetrators from “learning how to be a terrorist online” in the wake of the Southport stabbing attack.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Wednesday morning, Lord Alex Carlile said: “It is absolutely clear that the online companies are not prepared to scrutinise the content of what is placed on their sites in a way that will ensure that our children and grandchildren do not see dreadful things online when they’re not mature enough to be able to exercise a critical faculty over them.
“So, given that the internet companies are not prepared to do what they should voluntarily agree to carry out, it is time for a regulatory regime to be established which does not question the right of free speech, but which protects the public from unlawful acts.
“If the internet companies are not prepared to do it, then the sanction is on governments – not just our government, but many other governments.
“And as we saw in America earlier in the week, one can switch off the site – Tiktok was switched off for a day.
“Also, they can be fined, fines based upon their world turnover, very big fines.
“So, it is time that we looked at having a proper regulatory regime for our own country, doing what we have to do first, protecting our own country and our own citizens to ensure that people like this perpetrator are not able to learn how to be a terrorist online.”
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 08:44
Employment minister defends new measures to use two-factor identification to buy knives
New measures to use two-factor identification to prevent underage people from buying knives are needed to stop the “absolute devastation” caused by the flow of knives, a minister has said.
Employment minister Alison McGovern was asked about plans for two-factor identification to prevent people who are not old enough to buy knives and whether the technology is workable.
She told BBC Breakfast: “Knife crime is horrendous and we have got to have the new measures that you just mentioned, because we cannot have this flow of knives that can cause such absolute devastation.
“We know that the technology is there to improve verification checks and I think that everyone would want that, every business, every organisation.
“So, the Government will work with organisations to bring in every possible protection to stop knives getting into the wrong hands.”
She said the Government wants to work with retailers but that “in the end, we’ve got to have the right checks in place” and “look at every measure that we can bring forward through legislation”.
Tara Cobham22 January 2025 08:43
NewsBeat
Rachel Reeves risks economic ‘doom loop’ if spending cuts continue, ex-Bank of England chief economist warns | Politics News
Rachel Reeves risks entering an economic “doom loop” if she continues to cut spending, a former Bank of England chief economist has warned.
Andy Haldane, who was with the Bank for 32 years until 2021, said the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast in March could lead to less investment and spending.
He told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge: “It would be deeply counterproductive to both growth and to the fiscal position if that led to a cutting back on investment and indeed in spending more generally.
“Then I think you really are into a doomed loop between debt and growth. And that’s a situation to avoid at all costs.”
The OBR will publish an economic and fiscal forecast on 26 March, five months after its last forecast, which said the October budget was unlikely to increase economic growth over the next five years.
Mr Haldane, who became well-known for his speeches during COVID, said his concern depends on how much government spending is cut by the chancellor this spring.
“For me, I think some of the gloom and doom about both the economy and in bond markets is slightly overdone,” he added.
“I think once we get to the second half of the year, the underlying fiscal picture may look somewhat better as might be the underlying growth picture.
“So anything precipitating now, I think, is best avoided.”
The OBR gave a dismal outlook when Rachel Reeves announced her autumn budget. Pic: Reuters
The economist, who is now chief executive of the Royal Society for Arts think tank, added the chancellor should not panic because of market reaction to the budget deficit by cutting spending further.
“Definitely not panic,” he said.
“I think the journey we’ve been on, when the government first came in, if anything expectations were a bit too high.
“And I think we saw those expectations punctured pretty quickly.”
Read more:
Treasury Committee questions new Office for Value for Money
PM says Treasury will be ‘ruthless’ in cutting spending
He said he could see pessimism within business and financial markets based on the October budget “being walked back in the remainder of the year as some of the announcements the government has made start to come on stream and be felt, including the fiscal measures in the budget”.
Those fiscal measures are providing “a big boost to growth” this year, exemplified by the International Monetary Fund last week forecasting the UK performing relatively well on the European stage, he said.
The October budget saw taxes rise to the tune of £40bn. Pic: Reuters
Mr Haldane added he thought “there were mistakes in execution” of the autumn budget in October, “but even larger mistakes in the communication around that budget”.
He said: “Personally, I would not have loaded so much onto business at the budget but more importantly still, I would have found a way of communicating that budget in terms that could help businesses see that if not now, then tomorrow, this was a pro-business budget and that wasn’t done and that led to the further breakdown in business confidence.”
In the wide-ranging interview, Mr Haldane also said he thinks Donald Trump “taking an axe to regulation” and thinking “very differently” about how government functions means there is “a chance of real growth and supply side upside from which we will all learn better”.
You can watch the full interview at 7pm on Wednesday on Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge on Sky News.
Politics
John Healey issues warning to Vladimir Putin after Russian spy vessel spotted in British waters
Defence Secretary John Healey has issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin after a Russian spy ship was detected operating near UK waters.
“We see you, we know what you are doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country,” Healey told MPs.
Healey revealed the Russians have been using the ship for “gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure”.
In November, the Yantar was detected “loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure”, prompting a decisive response from British forces.
John Healey spoke to MPs in the House of Commons earlier today
Parliament
“I authorised a Royal Navy submarine, strictly as a deterrent measure, to surface close to the Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move,” the Defence Secretary said.
The submarine is believed to have been one of Britain’s Astute-class nuclear-powered attack boats.
Following the encounter, the Russian vessel departed UK waters and sailed towards the Mediterranean.
The Yantar has now returned to the North Sea, having entered the UK exclusive economic zone approximately 45 miles off the British coast on Monday.
LATEST NEWS:
Royal Navy vessels HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne have been deployed to monitor the Russian ship’s movements.
The warships have been tracking the vessel’s every move through British waters for the past two days.
“The foreign ship Yantar is currently in the North Sea having passed through British waters,” Healey told MPs.
So far, the Defence Secretary noted that the Russian vessel has been complying with international rules of navigation.
So far, the Defence Secretary noted that the Russian vessel has been complying with international rules of navigation
PA
In response to the Yantar’s return, Healey has implemented new rules of engagement for Royal Navy vessels.
The Defence Secretary confirmed he had amended the protocols to allow British warships to better understand the movement of the Russian vessel.
“I changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar,” Healey told MPs.
He emphasised the vessel’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, saying: “Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure.”
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Rachel Reeves plans for a “family farm tax” have suffered a major blow after the supermarket giant Tesco called on her to halt the policy.
In a highly unusual move, the retailer backed farmers in their fight against the inheritance tax raid, with its chief commercial officer warning the “UK’s future food security is at stake”.
In a double blow to the chancellor as she seeks to woo business investment to the UK at the World Economic Forum in Davos another huge supermarket, Lidl, also called on her to pause the policy.
Their calls mean Tesco, British agriculture’s biggest customer, and Lidl have now joined other major supermarket chains Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons in backing farmers.
Tesco’s chief commercial officer Ashwin Prasad said that ensuring farms remained economically sustainable was “essential” not just to food security but so customers “can continue to get the great quality food they want, at a price they can afford”.
The calls will increase pressure on Ms Reeves to U-turn on her controversial tax raid. The chancellor has faced a furious backlash to her Budget decision to extend inheritance tax to family farms, which critics warn could sound the death knell for family farms in England.
The changes mean that farms valued at £1m or more would be liable for 20 per cent inheritance tax.
The Treasury says that, with tax allowances, in reality only farms worth £3m would be affected, just 28 per cent of family farms. But official Defra figures appear to suggest as many as 66 per cent could be hit.
Thousands of farmers brought Westminster to a standstill in November when they descended on the capital to voice their opposition to the change.
Mr Prasad said: “One message is loud and clear: farmers desperately need more certainty. After years of policy change, it has been harder than ever for them to plan ahead or to invest in their farms.
“One current area of uncertainty is the proposed change to inheritance tax relief. With many smaller farms relying on APR (agricultural property relief) and BPR (business property relief) we fully understand their concerns.
“It’s why we’ll be supporting the NFU’s calls for a pause in the implementation of the policy, while a full consultation is carried out.”
Lidl said in a statement: “Providing security and long-term investment for British agriculture is key to helping ensure that farmers can continue to produce affordable and increasingly sustainable food for generations to come.
“We are concerned that the recent changes to the inheritance tax regime will impact farmer and grower confidence and hold back the investment needed to build a resilient, productive and sustainable British food system.
“We, therefore, support the call by the farming community to pause the implementation of those changes and to consult with industry to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. We will be raising our concerns with Government at any opportunity we get.”
On Friday, Asda also offered their public support for farmers by backing the NFU’s demand for a “pause” in implementing the changes. And earlier this month, Morrisons told farmers “we’re with you” in the fight.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed recently offered an apology for having “shocked” farmers with the Budget measures.
But he, and other cabinet minister, blame the tax raid on a £22billion ‘black hole’ in the public finances left by the previous Tory government.
Separately, a new report by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) casts doubt on how much money the raid will raise. The expected revenue, £500m a year by 2029, has been given a ‘high’ uncertainty rating by the spending watchdog. Shadow environment secretary Victoria Atkins MP said ministers “still can’t tell us how many businesses will be affected.
“They have chosen to destroy British family farming for little return. The OBR is clear that it will be near impossible for older farmers to restructure their affairs quickly in response to this vindictive tax.
“Farmers up and down the country are worried sick about their families’ futures and Labour’s tax bills.”
Liberal Democrat rural affairs spokesperson Tim Farron said the report “confirms that the government’s misguided family farm tax is mired in problems and will penalise British farmers for practically no benefit.
“It is deeply concerning that older farmers will be hit hardest from this tax, with the rug pulled from under them before they can change their plans. And with tax revenue expected to be highly uncertain and unstable for two decades, the Chancellor’s excuses simply don’t stack up. The government must do the right thing and scrap the family farm tax before it’s too late.”
BBC News
BBC Turkish
A day of mourning is under way in Turkey for the 76 victims of a fire that engulfed a popular ski resort hotel in the country’s north-west.
The fire broke out at the wooden-clad 12-storey Grand Kartal Hotel in Bolu at 03:27 local time (00:27 GMT) during a busy holiday period when 234 people were staying there. It took 12 hours to put out.
An investigation has been launched into the incident and there have been conflicting reports about whether the hotel was up to safety standards.
Nine people have been arrested, including the hotel’s owner.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who visited Bolu on Wednesday, said those responsible for negligence leading to the fire “will be held accountable”.
Flags are flying at half-mast across Turkey in memory of the victims of the fire, while the first funerals are being held.
Search and rescue teams are making their final efforts to find any remaining bodies.
The authorities said that they were assessing all risks, including the possibility of collapse, for the building.
Alongside the fatalities, 51 people were injured in the fire, according to health minister Kemal Memisoglu. One was receiving treatment in intensive care, and 17 people have been discharged. Relatives have been gathering outside the hospitals where they are being treated.
A person the BBC met in front of the morgue said that he had received news that seven of his relatives had died and that he had visited hospitals looking for their bodies. He later learned that the morgue was empty.
Footage circulating showed linen hanging from windows which was used by those trying to escape the burning building. On Wednesday, these could still be seen swaying in the wind.
The cause of the fire has not yet been found, but Bolu governor Abdulaziz Aydin said initial reports suggested it had broken out in the restaurant section of the hotel’s fourth floor and spread to the floors above.
Aydin said the hotel’s remote location and freezing conditions meant it took more than an hour for fire engines to arrive.
The hotel was last inspected in 2024, and the tourism minister said there had been no concerns regarding the hotel’s fire safety prior to Tuesday’s disaster.
However, the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) said that, according to regulations, an automatic fire extinguisher system was needed, and it appeared from photos of the hotel that one had not been installed.
It added that it was unclear if other regulations had been complied with, but based on the statements of survivors, “it is understood that the detection and warning systems did not work and the escape routes could not be determined”.
Some survivors reported that they had not heard any fire alarms.
The Bolu mountains are popular with skiers from Istanbul and Turkey’s capital Ankara, which is roughly 170km (105 miles) away, and the hotel was operating at high occupancy at the start of the two-week school holidays.
Who are the victims?
InstagramInformation about those who died in the fire is continuing to emerge, although some of the bodies are still to be identified. At least two people were killed after they tried to jump to safety.
Many children and young people are among the dead and, in many cases, several members of the same family have been killed.
Turkish Airlines confirmed that Zehra Sena Gültekin died along with her husband, businessman Bilal Gültekin, and three children. Boğaziçi Executives Foundation said two of Bilal’s siblings were also killed.
These included Dr Enes Gültekin, who the Medical Union said had died, along with Izmir dentist Dr Kübra Tonguç Altın and his daughter Alya.
More than 10 members of the Gültekin family are thought to have died in total. President Erdogan and his wife attended the family’s funeral on Wednesday.
Dentist Dr Burak Hasar announced that his colleague of 15-years, Dr Yasemen Boncuk Tüzgiray, her husband Dr Erhan Tüzgiray, and their children Defne and Demir had all died.
The Turkish Wind Energy Association announced that two executives from one of its members, Inovat Energy Storage Solutions, were killed. They are the company’s CEO Can Tokcan, his brother Atıl Enis Tokcan, and their children Kemal and Atlas Kaan.
Tarsus American College announced the death of its graduates Mert Doğan, his wife Duygu, and their children Mavi and Doğa, as well as another graduate’s grandson Ömür Kotan.
The İELEV Schools association announced the death of students Pelin Güngör, her mother Burcu, father Kıvanç and brother Kerem.
Staff at the hotel were also killed, including chef Eslem Uyanik. Turkish media quoted Süleyman Nazik, who said his daughter, Esra Nazik, had died and had just started working there.
Özyeğin ÜniversitesiProf Dr Atakan Yalçın, who worked at the Özyeğin University Faculty of Business, and his daughter Elif Derin, both died.
Nedim Turkmen, a writer for Sozcu newspaper, his wife Ayse Neva, and their two children, 18-year-old Ala Dora and 22-year-old Yüce Ata, were all killed.
TED Istanbul College announced the death of students Alican Boduroğlu, his sister Elif Nas, as well as their mother Ebru.
Meanwhile, TED Ankara College shared the news of the death of Eren Bağcı on its social media accounts.
Dilara Ermanoglu, 24, was also among the victims, and her father who had gone to Bolu to look for her was treated by health workers for a heart attack.
Vedia Nil Apak, a 10-year-old swimmer with Fenerbahce Sports Club in Istanbul, also died, along with her mother Ferda.
Club management also said that Ceren Yaman Doğan, the wife of the vice president of its Bolu association, and their 17-year-old daughter Lalin, were killed. Ceren was also the daughter of a well-known local businessman.
Mehmet Cem Doğan, the Bolu factory director for OYAK cement, died, as did his wife Ayşemin Elif and daughter Ayşe Maya.
The Turkish Neurology Association said its member, Dr Ahmet Çetiz, was killed alongside his family.
Başkent University published a condolence message regarding the death of its graduate Müge Suyolcu and her daughter Pera.
The death of intern doctor Yiğit Gençbay, a senior student at the university’s medicine department, was also announced.
The mother and grandfather of the British boy who went missing for six years will not face any criminal charges, police have said, after the family withdrew support for a prosecution.
Alex Batty was 11 when he disappeared in 2017 after travelling to Spain with his mother, Melanie Batty, and grandfather, David Batty, for a holiday.
They did not return, and Alex was reported missing a week later by his grandmother, Susan Caruana, who was his legal guardian while he was under the age of 18.
It began a police investigation that would span six years.
Alex was found when a medical student offered him a lift in the early hours of Wednesday after seeing him walking alone in heavy rain near southern France, about an hour from Toulouse.
Alex initially gave a fake name, saying he was called Zac, but quickly started opening up and told him he had been kidnapped by his mother when he was 11. The teenager revealed he had been hiking in the mountains for four days in an attempt to return home to England.
Alex Batty’s grandmother, Susan Caruana, pictured in 2017
He now lives in Greater Manchester, “surrounded by those who love him”, the police have said.
A criminal investigation was launched into his disappearance, but this has now been closed after Alex’s family withdrew support. After consulting various partners, Greater Manchester Police also concluded there would be no realistic chance of a prosecution.
He was 11 when he disappeared. Pic: GMP
What have the police said?
Detective Superintendent Matt Walker, who led the investigation said this was the outcome the family had wished for.
“Alex and his safety has been at the forefront of our minds and actions since he was found in Toulouse, France in 2023,” he said in a statement.
“In our commitment to protecting children, we felt it was important that the circumstances of Alex’s disappearance be properly and thoroughly investigated. I led a dedicated team to do exactly that when Alex was first found, and this has continued since.
Mother Melanie Batty did not have parental guardianship of Alex
“We have consulted with various partners, such as a complex case CPS lawyer and the National Crime Agency throughout, and concluded there would be no realistic chance of criminal prosecution.
“Given this, the right thing to do is bring closure to this chapter of Alex and his family’s lives, particularly as this is the outcome they wished for.
“Alex is now an adult, safe, and reintegrated with life back in Greater Manchester surrounded by those who love him, which ultimately is the priority.”
David Batty was previously wanted in connection with Alex’s abduction
Where did Alex Batty go for six years?
Alex told the man who found him he had lived in a luxury house in Spain with a group of 10 people as part of a “spiritual community” before moving to France in 2021.
Read more: What happened to Alex Batty?
The student said Alex did not seem angry – he said he had not been chained up – but wasn’t sure if he was allowed to leave at any time.
Views of the road in Toulouse where Alex Batty was found.
“He didn’t have regrets [about leaving the community]… he just wanted to live a normal life, to see his grandmother again and to have a normal future, that’s the word that he used,” the student, Fabien Accidini said.
Mr Accidini agreed to let Alex borrow his phone – which he used to send a Facebook message to his grandmother in the UK, saying “I love you, I want to come home”
GB News presenter Ellie Costello grilled Tory MP Matt Vickers over the Southport stabbings, highlighting multiple missed opportunities to prevent the tragedy.
“There were a number of failings, failings under your watch which you must be able to accept responsibility for”, Ellie fumed during the heated exchange.
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A Russian spy ship is being tracked by the Royal Navy after sailing through the English Channel, John Healey revealed on Wednesday, issuing a stark warning to Vladimir Putin that the government is watching Russian activity in UK waters.
“We see you”, the defence secretary warned, promising robust action to protect Britain.
The ship, Yantar, is currently in the North Sea having passed through British waters. Mr Healey said this is the second time the Russian spy vessel had entered UK waters in recent months, noting the ship was also closely watched in November.
“Let me be clear, this is a Russian spy ship used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure”, the defence secretary warned.
In November, the government authorised a Royal Navy submarine to surface close to Yantar to “make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move”, Mr Healey said.
Addressing the House of Commons on Wednesday, he said: “Yantar entered the UK exclusive economic zone about 45 miles off the British coast on Monday. For the last two days the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne to monitor the vessel every minute through our waters.
“I changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar. So far, the ship has complied with international rules of navigation.”
Referring to the incident in November, Mr Healey said: “It was detected loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure. To deter any potential threat, I took measured steps then as part of a clear direct response to the Russian vessel.
“RAF maritime patrol aircraft alongside HMS Cattistock, HMS Tyne and RFA Proteus were deployed to shadow Yantar’s every movement.
“Today, I also wanted to confirm to the House that I authorised a Royal Navy submarine, strictly as a deterrent measure, to surface close to Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move. The ship then left UK waters without further loitering and sailed down to the Mediterranean.”
He added: “I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: we see you, we know what you’re doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.”
Mr Healey told the Commons that Russia is the biggest external threat to Britain, warning that aggression from Putin “will not be tolerated at home or in Ukraine”.
The defence secretary said Russia was “dangerous but fundamentally weak”, as he referenced the casualties the country had suffered during the war in Ukraine and its decision to draft in troops from North Korea.
“Russia remains the most pressing and immediate threat to Britain, and I want to assure the House and the British people that any threat will be met with strength and resolve.”
Mr Healey said P8 Poseidon and Rivet Joint aircraft would join the Nato operation to protect undersea cabling in the Baltic Sea. RFA Proteus has also been deployed to monitor “offshore infrastructure”.
He added: “Russian aggression will not be tolerated at home or in Ukraine. It’s why one of the first acts of this Government was for the Prime Minister to launch the strategic defence review. It’s why the government has increased defence spending next year by almost £3bn and why we will set a path to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP in the spring.
“This new era of the threat demands a new era for defence. Change is essential, not optional, and the government is determined to meet the challenge, determined to deliver for defence.
“We will protect the homeland and our critical national infrastructure, and we will make Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
His remarks come a week after Sir Keir Starmer declared Putin’s invasion of Ukraine a “monumental strategic failure”, as he travelled to Kyiv to sign a new long-term partnership deal with Volodymyr Zelensky.
The prime minister visited Ukraine for the first time since entering No 10 just days before Donald Trump returned to the White House, potentially signalling a shift in US support for Ukraine’s war effort in favour of a push for a peace deal.
The UK and Ukraine signed a 100-year partnership, which includes defence and scientific collaboration but will also forge new community links between the UK and Ukraine.Sir Keir said the agreement, which will bolster military collaboration on maritime security and will bring together experts in areas including drone technology, showed Putin’s attempts to pull Ukraine away from the West had backfired.
Responding to the defence secretary’s statement, his opposite number James Cartlidge said the Conservative party stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Labour over their approach, welcoming the government’s openness over how it was tackling the Russian naval threat.
“We welcome that transparency because it is critical for our war readiness … that as far as we are able, and without compromising our national security and operational security, we tell the British public the truth about the serious nature of the Russian threat and what that will inevitably mean for public expenditure on defence”, he said.
Political reporter
Defence correspondent
Ministry of DefenceThe Royal Navy has been monitoring a Russian spy ship after it entered British waters earlier this week, the defence secretary has told MPs.
John Healey said the vessel, Yantar, was used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure.
He said the incident was “another example of growing Russian aggression”.
Healey added: “I also wanted President Putin to hear this message: we see you, we know what you’re doing and we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.”
Russia describes Yantar as an oceanic research vessel and it is operated by the country’s Ministry of Defence.
Western nations have often tracked the ship operating in European waters and they suspect part of its mission has been to map undersea cables.
They also believe Russia has been stepping up this activity since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
As well as surveillance equipment the ship can operate submersible drones capable of reaching the ocean floor.
Undersea infrastructure is crucial for energy supply through power cables and pipelines, while more than 95% of internet traffic is also secured via undersea cables.
Healey said Yantar was currently in the North Sea, after passing through UK waters and being detected 45 miles off the British coast in the English Channel on Monday.
“For the last two days the Royal Navy has deployed HMS Somerset and HMS Tyne to monitor the vessel every minute through our waters,” he said.
“I changed the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement so that our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar. So far, the ship has complied with international rules of navigation.”
The defence secretary said it was the second time the vessel had entered British waters in recent months, with Yantar also detected “loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure” in November.
He said a Royal Navy submarine had been authorised to surface close to Yantar “strictly as a deterrent measure” and “to make clear that we have been covertly monitoring its every move”.
“The ship then left UK waters without further loitering and sailed down to the Mediterranean,” he added.
Healey said the government was strengthening its response to Russian naval activity with its Nato allies.
He said the Royal Air Force would provide surveillance aircraft to join a Nato deployment to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
It comes after an undersea cable between Estonia and Finland was damaged in December, with Finnish police investigating whether a Russian ship was involved.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said the Conservative Party stood “shoulder to shoulder” with the government’s approach and its “transparency” over the Russian naval threat.
He also welcomed the change to the Royal Navy’s rules of engagement, adding: “This sends a powerful signal to Putin that we will not be intimidated and that if his aim is to keep pushing the boundaries of malign activity in our waters, and those proximate to us, we will respond.”
Cartlidge said the Russian activity showed why defence spending needed to be increased as soon as possible.
NewsBeat
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana researched car bombs, detonators and nitric acid amid fixation with violence
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Southport killer Axel Rudakubana is understood to have researched car bombs, detonators and nitric acid as his fascination with violence flourished unchecked online.
Searches of his devices have revealed an obsession with massacres, torture and a wide range of brutal conflicts, including the genocide in Rwanda, where his parents are from.
Written material discovered by police after his knife rampage, which saw three girls murdered, also reportedly included documents on Nazi Germany, clan cleansing in Somalia, an uprising in Kenya and a treatise on combat in Chechnya.
The 18-year-old is also believed to have had a cache of weapons stashed at his home, including a machete, scabbard, arrows, castor beans and a 20cm kitchen knife identical to one used in the rampage.
Before he left in a taxi to launch his attack on unsuspecting children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Merseyside on 29 July last year, it is understood he searched social media for the Mar Mari Emmanuel stabbing, when a bishop and five others were attacked in a Sydney church in April 2024.
Officers also discovered a Tupperware container under his bed containing an unknown substance, which was later found to be homemade biological toxin ricin.
One PDF file entitled “Military Studies In The Jihad Against The Tyrants, The Al Qaeda Training Manual” resulted in him being charged with a terror offence.
Although the documents show a clear fascination with extreme violence, the attack has not been classed as terrorism because police can find no evidence he subscribed to any particular ideology or religion.
Details of his fixation emerged after the prime minister, who has announced a public inquiry into the atrocity, warned Britain is facing a new threat from “young men in their bedrooms” accessing radical materials online.
Laying the groundwork for an overhaul of terrorism laws to guard against the new threat of “loners and misfits” driven to acts of extreme violence, Sir Keir Starmer said: “Terrorism has changed. In the past, the predominant threat was highly organised groups with clear political intent. Groups like al-Qaeda.
“That threat of course remains. But now, alongside that we also see acts of extreme violence perpetrated by loners, misfits, young men in their bedroom, accessing all manner of material online, desperate for notoriety.”
However security experts have warned against expanding terror laws to encompass atrocities carried out by lone attackers.
Neil Basu, a former national head of counter-terrorism, told LBC it would be a “mistake” to label something as “terrorism if it is not terrorism”, as this could lead some to seek out a “day of infamy”.
He added: “I would be wary of expanding terrorism law to cover lone actors… that isn’t what terrorism law is about, but it would be for politicians to debate whether the law needs to be expanded.”
Ian Acheson, a former prison governor and senior Home Office official, meanwhile told The Times newspaper that people “who are mobilised by hatred and contempt for others into committing lone wolf attacks” have been “with us for years”.
The government has also promised to crack down on online retailers after it emerged the then 17-year-old Rudakubana purchased his weapon on Amazon.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs it is a “total disgrace” that Rudakubana, who had admitted to carrying a knife ten times, was able to buy a weapon online and promised new measures in the Crime and Policing Bill this spring.
Writing in The Sun, Sir Keir said: “It remains shockingly easy for our children to get their hands on deadly knives. The lessons of this case could not be clearer.
“Time and again, as a child, the Southport murderer carried knives. Time and again, he showed clear intent to use them.
“And yet, tragically, he was still able to order the murder weapon off of the internet without any checks or barriers. A two-click killer. This cannot continue.”
Rudakubana pleaded guilty on Monday to 16 offences, including three counts of murder, ten of attempted murder, producing the deadly poison ricin and possession of a document which contained al-Qaeda training material.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine; Bebe King, six; and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; died following the attack at the dance class in The Hart Space.
He is due to be sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday.
Politics
Daughter of Sir David Amess hits out at Prevent scheme following Rudakubana revelations: ‘They failed me!’
The daughter of late MP Sir David Amess has revealed that she “begged and pleaded” for an inquiry into her father’s murder, as she highlighted the “failures” of the Home Office and the Prevent programme.
The Labour Government has announced an inquiry into the Southport attack of July 2024, after it was revealed that killer Axel Rudakubana, 18, was referred to the Government’s anti-extremism scheme Prevent three times, but no intervention was made.
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