Yvette Cooper has launched a furious attack on tech companies for failing to take down images of child abuse and violence from their platforms.

The home secretary said she was “angry” at the lack of action in the wake of the jailing of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana for murdering three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last summer.

Cooper last week called on social media platforms such as X to remove violent videos viewed by Rudakubana before the tragedy.

But appearing on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on BBC1 this morning, she said they had so far failed to do so.

″There has been some further contact with those social media companies but our understanding is that material is still available online,” Cooper said.

“I think, frankly, that is disgraceful because they have a moral responsibility to act.”

She added: “It is a moral responsibility on these tech companies to protect our children and to make sure that when you’ve got one of the most horrendous crimes imaginable, and when there is evidence there was material online that was a part of that crime, I really think they have a moral responsibility to act.”

Asked if she was angry about it, Cooper said: “I really am because we’ve had the most horrendous crime of all. The responsibility for that crime lies with the perpetrator, who is now in prison.

“But there is still a responsibility on everyone to do what they can to keep people safe and to address this wider problem that we have about a growing violent extremism among teenagers.”

The home secretary also condemned the same tech firms for not removing child abuse images, including those generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

Her comments came as the government unveiled plans to outlaw AI tools designed to generate child abuse material.

Cooper said: “This is a challenge because the technology moves so rapidly. That’s why the Online Safety Act is being implemented this year, new requirements coming in to remove illegal content this spring, stronger measures later in the year around the protection of children.

“But I think we are going to have to go further. It’s why we are already putting these measures on AI into the new Crime and Policing Bill that we’ll be bringing forward to parliament very shortly.

“But this is an area where the technology doesn’t stand still and our response cannot stand still to keep children safe.”

Kuenssberg asked her: “Do you think that you’re going to have to regulate the technology companies more? It sounds like that’s what you’re hinting at, to go further than the existing legislation.”

Cooper: “This spring the requirement will be on companies to remove illegal images. It’s frankly shocking that they’re not sufficiently doing that already. They have a moral responsibility with some of this material, they really should be doing more.

“But this will mean if they don’t there will be new penalties brought in, much stronger action can be taken against them, and then further stronger measures on the protection of children later in the year.”