Reading stabbings: Labour calls for review of 'lone actor' terrorism after third attack in seven months

Three terror attacks have been carried out by lone knifemen since November, while a fourth was allegedly launched by two prisoners inside HMP Whitemoor

A judge-led review must be launched to tackle the “highly dangerous and growing threat of lone attackers”, the Labour Party has said.

The Reading stabbing was the fourth alleged terror attack to hit Britain in the seven months since authorities lowered the threat level in November, claiming there had been “positive developments in reducing the threat from terrorism”.

All but one of those attacks have been carried out by lone actors, as were previous attacks by both Islamist and far-right extremists including Westminster, Finsbury Park and Stanwell.

Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour’s shadow home secretary, has written to Priti Patel calling for a review to examine the role of prisons, probation, mental health services and local authorities at “critical points”.

“The police and security services have responded incredibly bravely to these incidents and foiled many more, thanks to their skill and dedication,” he said.

“However, they cannot fight this battle alone. When looking to identify, monitor and, in some cases, treat subjects who pose an enormous risk to society, we rely on a wide range of services.”

Mr Thomas-Symonds called the knife attacks at Fishmongers’ Hall, Streatham and Reading “eerily similar”, while a fourth attack allegedly took place inside a high-security prison in January.

The Labour MP said: “Lone attackers, intent on causing carnage, have taken the lives of innocent people, injured more and caused enormous suffering to all those affected.

“Now we must come together and redouble efforts to ensure each of these vital services have the resources they need and are working together in the most effective and impactful way, ultimately in a bid to save lives.”

It comes after a review of intelligence held before the 2017 terror attacks by Lord Anderson of Ipswich, which made more than 100 recommendations for change.

That review resulted in MI5 changing the way it handles closed investigations into “subjects of interest” and shares information with police, after opportunities to spot the Manchester and London Bridge plots were missed.

Lord Anderson, the former Independent Reviewer of Terror Legislation, also called for a joint “lone actor strategy” to be drawn up between MI5 and police, and to bolster the Prevent counter-extremism programme.

An implementation review published in June last year found 85 per cent of recommendations were either complete or on-track to be delivered by the end of 2019.

On Friday, Lord Anderson called Labour’s suggested review an “interesting initiative” that would build on his work.

The home secretary previously told MPs that the terrorist threat from lone actors was growing and announced that Jonathan Hall QC, the current Independent Review of Terrorism Legislation, would examine how “different agencies - including the police, probation services and security services - investigate, monitor and manage terrorist offenders”.

Labour said its review would be wider, invite submissions from frontline services, and examine if they have the necessary resources following years of cuts to local authorities.

The suspect in the Reading attack - unlike those in Fishmongers’ Hall, HMP Whitemoor and Streatham - was not a previous terror offender but had served time in prison for other offences.

Khairi Saadallah remains in custody over the attack, which left three victims dead and three others seriously injured on Saturday.

The perpetrators of the deadliest terror attacks to hit Britain in recent years, in Manchester, London Bridge and Westminster, were known to security services but had not been convicted of related offences.