‘Evil little RUNT!’ – Eamonn Holmes delivers BRUTAL analysis on Axel Rudakubana – ‘An absolute MESS’

Eamonn Holmes didn’t hold back on GB News as he tore into the failures surrounding Axel Rudakubana, the teenager responsible for the Southport killings. Holmes called him an “evil little runt” and criticized the system for allowing such a dangerous individual to slip through the cracks.

From the police and child services to the Prevent counter-terrorism program, Holmes and his panel highlighted how repeated warnings about Rudakubana were ignored, leading to a tragedy that shook the country.

Police have admitted they were told by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to keep quiet about critical evidence, including the ricin and terrorist manual found in Rudakubana’s home. This information was discovered within days of his arrest, yet it wasn’t revealed for months.

Holmes and his guest, former Scotland Yard detective Peter Bleksley, argued that withholding this information created a vacuum filled by speculation and anger, which contributed to the riots that followed the attack.

Bleksley explained that searching Rudakubana’s home would have been a top priority for the police after his arrest. The discovery of ricin, a deadly biological toxin, and the Al-Qaeda terrorist manual should have been a massive red flag. However, instead of acting swiftly, authorities delayed sharing these findings with the public, claiming it could prejudice the trial. “This is just an excuse,” Bleksley said. “Clear and timely messaging would have made all the difference and might have prevented the chaos we saw on the streets.”

Holmes also questioned how Rudakubana was able to purchase a knife online at the age of 16. The knife became the murder weapon he used in his horrific attacks. Statistics show knife crime is a growing problem in the UK, with 82% of teenage homicides last year involving knives.

Holmes slammed the lack of regulations on online knife sales, pointing out that basic safeguards like age verification and algorithms to flag suspicious purchases could prevent such tragedies. “Why is it so easy for a teenager to buy a deadly weapon online?” he asked.

The panel discussed broader issues with young people accessing dangerous tools. Some knives, Holmes argued, should only be available to professionals like chefs. Yet online, there are few barriers to prevent anyone, even children, from buying weapons. The ease of access, paired with the rising glorification of knives among young men, creates a dangerous situation. Holmes called for urgent reforms to address this.

Rudakubana’s mental health also came up during the discussion. Reports suggest he had paranoid schizophrenia, and his behavior had been deteriorating for years. Despite multiple calls to child services and three referrals to the Prevent program, no action was taken to address his issues.

Some argued that these failures allowed him to spiral further into violence. “It’s not an excuse for what he did,” Holmes said, “but it shows how broken the system is when someone this dangerous is left unchecked.”

The Prime Minister’s recent announcement to redefine terrorism laws in light of the Southport case has faced mixed reactions. While Holmes acknowledged the need for change, he warned that it could overwhelm police and security services already struggling with limited resources. “We need solutions, not just more pressure on the people already trying to hold things together,” he said.

Bleksley was blunt in his assessment of the government’s response. He accused various agencies of pointing fingers at each other to avoid accountability, saying, “We’ve seen this before in other scandals—everyone scrambles to avoid blame while the public is left angry and confused.” He called for those responsible for the CPS gag order to be named and held accountable, adding that the delay in sharing key information about Rudakubana’s crimes only made the situation worse.

Holmes also addressed the sentencing. Due to Rudakubana’s age, he cannot receive a full-life sentence, but Holmes argued that he should never be released. “This is someone who planned these atrocities for a long time. He knew exactly what he was doing. He deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison.”

The panel concluded by calling for practical changes, such as better regulation of online sales, stricter oversight of programs like Prevent, and improved cooperation between agencies. They also emphasized the need for transparency from authorities. “The public has a right to know what’s happening,” Holmes said. “Hiding the truth only leads to anger and mistrust.”

Holmes’s message was clear: Britain must take action to fix the systemic failures that allowed this tragedy to happen. From better early intervention to holding leaders accountable, the country needs to learn from this case and ensure nothing like it ever happens again.