Report Finds UK Prevent Scheme Failed to Stop Axel Rudakubana, Ali Harbi Ali; Calls for Overhaul Citing Human Error and Need for Online Adaptation

A recent report has found that the UK government’s Prevent counter-extremism scheme failed to stop two high-profile attackers: Axel Rudakubana, who committed the Southport murders, and Ali Harbi Ali, who killed MP Sir David Amess. Lord Anderson, the report’s author, highlighted that Prevent did not adequately manage these known threats, with the Southport attacker falling off the radar after only one meeting. The report attributes the failures partly to human error and calls for the scheme to rapidly adapt to the online environment. Critics including Michelle Dewbs, Jacqueline Foster, Bill Rammell, and Labour peers argue that Prevent has lost focus and requires an overhaul rather than replacement. Family representatives of Sir David Amess expressed frustration that lessons previously promised were not learned, as similar circumstances led to repeated failures. The report has prompted calls from politicians such as David Davis MP for serious reform to enhance public safety.