PREVENT programme must be strengthened, says former Essex MP

The former MP for Southend West and Sir David Amess' successor tells Greatest Hits Radio the government Prevent programme - aimed at stopping terrorism and radicalisation - does "not to what it says on the tin" and should be "strengthened to protect the public or defunded".

There's been eleven "lone wolf terrorist attacks" since 2017 all by killers known to the Prevent programme, says Anna Firth.

Sir David Amess - former MP for Southend West - was stabbed to death on October 15 2021 in his own constituency surgery by killer - Ali Harbi Ali.

Ali had been referred to Prevent seven years before he killed Sir David, but his case was closed in 2016.

Speaking after the family's plea for a full judge-led statutory public Inquiry was rejected, advisor Radd Seiger tells us the case is "absolutely identical" to that of Southport.

"You can't have a public Inquiry for Southport, and not one for Sir David Amess, it's illogical."

A government review found the Prevent scheme also "prematurely" closed its case on Southport killer Axel Rudakubana three years before he went on to murder three children.

Anna Firth says her "main concern" is the fact there's been more than one "lone terrorist attack" a year since 2017 - all killers known to the authorities.

"It is now clear that this programme does not do what it says it's going to do, we know that because the attacks just keep on happening.

"We've got to look across the piece and find out why this programme fails in the way it does.

"If it isn't strengthened to keep the public safe, then it should be defunded, and that money should be invested into counter-terrorism and policing.

"There's no point have a programme that doesn't do what it says on the tin" says Ms Firth.

Anna Firth said the family and its legal team will be involved in the independent review into Prevent and if questions still remain, they will urge the Government, again, to order a public inquiry.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The UK's threat picture is complex, evolving and enduring, which is why we have one of the strongest counter terrorism frameworks in the world and Prevent plays a vital role in disrupting terrorist activity across all ideologies.

"The Home Secretary has commissioned the department to deliver measures to strengthen the Prevent programme."

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