Southport Inquiry - Phase 1 report and Terms of Reference for Phase 2

On 29 July 2024, Axel Rudakubana carried out a knife attack at a children’s dance club in Southport. He murdered 3 young girls, Elsie Dot Stancombe, Alice da Silva Aguiar and Bebe King, and injured 10 other people. Sixteen others survived the attack and they now live with serious emotional scars.

The Southport Inquiry was been set up to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack and the events leading up to it. This includes examining an overall timeline of the perpetrator’s history and interactions with various public bodies including criminal justice, education, social care, and healthcare, as well as decision-making and information-sharing by local services and agencies.

The Inquiry began formally on 7 April 2025 when the Home Secretary issued the Terms of Reference.

The Inguiry - chaired by Sir Adrian Fulford - has now issued its Phase 1 Report (2 volumes).

Previous post  25 January 2025 - Axel Rudakubana sentenced for three horrific murders, 10 attempted murders, and 3 further counts

Terms of Reference for Phase 2 of the Inquiry

Thirlwall Inquiry - brief update

Updated 14 April 2026

The Thirlwall Inquiry was set up to examine events at the Countess of Chester Hospital and their implications following the convictions of former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby.

Inquiry Terms of Reference

The evidence and submissions phase of the inquiry came to a close on 19 March 2026 and the closing remarks of the Chair may be seen HERE.

The Inquiry intends to publish its report in November 2026 but the actual date will be kept under review.

R -v- Letby Final Judgment - 02.07.24 - refusal of permission to appeal

Criminal Cases Review Commission - 13 February 2026

(Image: Crown Court at Manchester where Lucy Letby stood trial).

Update 14 April 2026:

Easter Break ....

English Law Terms are set out by the Judiciary - HERE. 

Blogging will resume about the time Easter Term begins - 14 April. 

House of Commons is in recess up to and including 12 April - HERE.

The King's Speech (State Opening of Parliament) is scheduled for 13 May. By then, we will know the outcome of the various elections to be held on 7 May. It is widely expected that national politics will be reflected in the results with the Labour Party losing many seats in local government but politics can of course surprise us.  BBC News 26 March 2026

The Judiciary website continues with news items, sentencing remarks etc.

The HOME page on this blog has a lengthy list of blogs and websites of interest - please explore. (The list will be reviewed during the second half of April).

There is a Selection Commission to choose the next President of the Supreme Court of the UK. No forecasts or guesses from me on that one.  The list of present Justices is HERE but the selection does not have to be from one of their number. 

I wonder whether ...

Attorney-General - The Harry Street Lecture at Manchester University

 

The Attorney-General Lord Hermer KC delivered the Harry Street Lecture at Manchester University. The text has been published - HERE.

He opened by saying - "I want to use my time this evening to address two closely connected themes: first, I want to talk about the enduring importance of what has come to be known as the international rules-based order – I want to describe the benefits that it brings to this country and the world at large; and secondly, I want to exemplify that argument by looking in particular at how the European Convention on Human Rights time and time again serves the interests of ordinary people, protecting and vindicating our hard won rights."

The Lecture was delivered shortly after the President of the USA, together with the Prime Minister of Israel, decided to use military force against Iran. There are serious questions regarding the legality of this action.  

Professor Harry Street (1919 - 1984) - was well-known for his text Street on Torts which reached its 16th edition in May 2021

House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act 2026

A major constitutional change came about this week with the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill receiving Royal Assent and becoming the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act. The Act removes the remaining connection between hereditary peerage and membership of the House of Lords; makes provision about resignation from the House of Lords; and abolishes the jurisdiction of the House of Lords in relation to claims to hereditary peerages.

This reform was a Labour Party manifesto commitment.

The Act will come into effect at the end of this session of Parliament, after which no peer will be a member of the House of Lords on the basis of their hereditary peerage.

See the Government announcement  which contains the following -

Covid 19 Inquiry Report 3 - The impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on the healthcare systems of the UK

 

The UK Covid 19 Inquiry has published its third report following its investigation into ‘the Impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the healthcare systems of the United Kingdom.’ 

The report examines the governmental and societal response to Covid-19 as well as dissecting the impact that the pandemic had on healthcare systems, patients and healthcare workers. 

The reports issued to date may be seen HERE. The Module 3 report is HERE together with a summary.

The report comments that - "The Chair expects that all recommendations are acted upon and implemented within  the time frames set out in the recommendations. The Inquiry will monitor the  implementation of the recommendations during its lifetime."

Response from the government is awaited.

Crime and Policing Bill - Abortion - Removal of criminal liability from women who act in relation to their own pregnancy

The Crime and Policing Bill has passed the House of Commons and is now in its late stages before the House of Lords. 

It is a government Bill sponsored by the Home Office and covers a vast array of topics. The Bill has 16 Parts amounting to 220 clauses and a further 23 Schedules. The outpouring of criminal justice legislation is relentless and unending.

For the moment, I just wish to note Clause 208.

This is a short clause but will alter the law in a major way -