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| Government launches hunt for extremists across public sector- politics live | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.45am BST11:45 | |
| Alan Travis | |
| Here is a first take on the counter-extremism strategy from the Guardian’s home affairs editor, Alan Travis. | |
| A major government “counter-ideology campaign at pace and scale” to combat Islamist and other forms of extremism in Britain is at the heart of the new counter-extremism strategy published on Monday. | |
| The campaign will include a full review of all public institutions to safeguard them against the risk of ‘entryism’ by extremists, including schools, colleges, the civil service and local authorities. | |
| The launch of the hunt for extremists across the public sector follows the Trojan Horse affair in Birmingham schools. | |
| “The review will clearly set out the risk posed and advise on measures to guard against entryism, for example by improving governance, inspection and whistle-blowing mechanisms. It will also engage charities and businesses to help them identify and tackle entryist behaviour,” says the new strategy. | |
| It will also include an official investigation into the application of Sharia law, new powers to intervene in the activities of faith-based “supplementary schools” and a new “extremism community trigger” to guarantee the police will take seriously complaints from the public about suspected extremists. | |
| The details of the published strategy show that the tough package first proposed by the home secretary, Theresa May, back in March has survived largely intact despite objections from no fewer than six of her cabinet colleagues. | |
| She has compromised with her cabinet colleagues over her initial proposal to require broadcasters to allow television programmes to be vetted for extremist content before they are broadcast. Instead they will be challenged “whenever extremists have been given a platform to preach harmful messages and falsehoods without critical challenge.” | |
| Existing legislation requiring Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, to immediate suspend television services that broadcast unacceptable extremist material is also to be extended to radio services. | |
| Also missing from the revised strategy is the previous plan to publish a list of “hate preachers”. Instead the strategy includes previously advertised orders banning extremist groups, closure orders against mosques used by extremists, and ‘disruption orders’ issued against individual named extremists. These orders will mean it is set out clearly for the first time which individuals and organisations the government and the public sector should not engage with. | |
| Updated at 11.46am BST | |
| 11.21am BST11:21 | |
| Government publishes full counter-extremism strategy | |
| The Home Office has published the full counter-extremism strategy. It’s 40 pages long. You can read it here. I will publish a summary shortly. | |
| Updated at 11.35am BST | |
| 11.06am BST11:06 | 11.06am BST11:06 |
| David Cameron has issued a statement on his Facebook page on today’s counter-extremism strategy announcement. | |
| Two: this is, at its heart, a battle of ideas. On one side sit the extremists, with a deliberate strategy to infect public debate, divide our communities and advance their warped worldview. | |
| On the other side must sit everyone else – not just the institutions of the state, such as the government, police and security services; but community groups and the rest of society. The extremist narrative needs to be fought every day at the kitchen table, on the university campus, online and on the airwaves. | |
| In the end, this battle will only be won through argument and persuasion – people taking a stand to demonstrate the incredible power of our liberal, democratic values, and the emptiness of theirs... | |
| Three: while Islamist extremists in no way represent the true spirit of Islam, we cannot ignore the fact that they attempt to justify their views and actions through Islamic scripture and theology. | |
| Globally, it is a challenge for all of Islam that a perverted, illiberal and hostile interpretation of this great religion has been allowed to grow. It is a problem that so many see the West as an oppressor, and buy into the grievances, if not necessarily the violence. And it is a worry for the world that some feel allegiance only to a religious brotherhood, instead of to their fellow citizens in nation states. | |
| Updated at 11.25am BST | |
| 10.44am BST10:44 | 10.44am BST10:44 |
| Muslim Council of Britain: anti-extremism plans have McCarthyist undertones | Muslim Council of Britain: anti-extremism plans have McCarthyist undertones |
| The secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr Shuja Shafi, has issued a statement on the anti-extremism announcement saying it is based on “fuzzy conceptions of British values”: | The secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, Dr Shuja Shafi, has issued a statement on the anti-extremism announcement saying it is based on “fuzzy conceptions of British values”: |
| ...today’s ‘one nation’ counter-extremism strategy continues down a flawed path, focusing on Muslims in particular, and are based on fuzzy conceptions of British values. | ...today’s ‘one nation’ counter-extremism strategy continues down a flawed path, focusing on Muslims in particular, and are based on fuzzy conceptions of British values. |
| It risks being counter-productive by alienating the very people needed to confront Al-Qaeda or Daesh-related terrorism: British Muslim communities. For over 10 years we have had to contend with a misguided ‘conveyor-belt theory’ analysis that conflates terrorism with subjective notions of extremism and Islamic practices. Whether it is in mosques, education or charities, the strategy will reinforce perceptions that all aspects of Muslim life must undergo a ‘compliance’ test to prove our loyalty to this country... | It risks being counter-productive by alienating the very people needed to confront Al-Qaeda or Daesh-related terrorism: British Muslim communities. For over 10 years we have had to contend with a misguided ‘conveyor-belt theory’ analysis that conflates terrorism with subjective notions of extremism and Islamic practices. Whether it is in mosques, education or charities, the strategy will reinforce perceptions that all aspects of Muslim life must undergo a ‘compliance’ test to prove our loyalty to this country... |
| ...The measures could be seen more as a means to address the anxieties a minority of people may have against Muslims and their religious life, rather than the scourge of terrorism itself... | ...The measures could be seen more as a means to address the anxieties a minority of people may have against Muslims and their religious life, rather than the scourge of terrorism itself... |
| ...We cannot help also detect the McCarthyist undertones in the proposal to create blacklists and exclude and ban people deemed to be extremist. If we are to have such lists at all, they should be determined through a transparent process and subject to judicial oversight to prevent any discrimination and political interference based on pressure from foreign governments... | ...We cannot help also detect the McCarthyist undertones in the proposal to create blacklists and exclude and ban people deemed to be extremist. If we are to have such lists at all, they should be determined through a transparent process and subject to judicial oversight to prevent any discrimination and political interference based on pressure from foreign governments... |
| In the Muslim Council of Britain’s view, there needs to be clarity of purpose: is this new policy initiative about tackling alienation, or seeking more securitisation? The former requires long-term capacity building and empowerment of Muslim civil society organisations and addressing structural socio-economic imbalances; the latter is about preventing criminality and enforcing the law. To lump both in one programme of action is not logical. | In the Muslim Council of Britain’s view, there needs to be clarity of purpose: is this new policy initiative about tackling alienation, or seeking more securitisation? The former requires long-term capacity building and empowerment of Muslim civil society organisations and addressing structural socio-economic imbalances; the latter is about preventing criminality and enforcing the law. To lump both in one programme of action is not logical. |
| ...these initiatives will not be successful if they perpetuate further alienation of the community and are used to restrict freedom of thought and expression, or to conflate conservative views with violent extremism without any evidence base. The Muslim Council of Britain will be doing its part to explore the issue. While the MCB has not taken government funds towards this, it has consistently spoken out against terrorism. | ...these initiatives will not be successful if they perpetuate further alienation of the community and are used to restrict freedom of thought and expression, or to conflate conservative views with violent extremism without any evidence base. The Muslim Council of Britain will be doing its part to explore the issue. While the MCB has not taken government funds towards this, it has consistently spoken out against terrorism. |
| Updated at 10.46am BST | Updated at 10.46am BST |
| 10.10am BST10:10 | 10.10am BST10:10 |
| Here’s a round-up of some interesting political stories that you might have missed this morning. | Here’s a round-up of some interesting political stories that you might have missed this morning. |
| 9.32am BST09:32 | 9.32am BST09:32 |
| Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver will be giving evidence to the Health select committee this afternoon at around 3.40pm, along side Duncan Selbie, the chief executive of Public Health England. They will be talking about childhood obesity and Oliver will present on his campaign for the introduction of a sugar tax. I’ll try and bring you the highlights later on. | Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver will be giving evidence to the Health select committee this afternoon at around 3.40pm, along side Duncan Selbie, the chief executive of Public Health England. They will be talking about childhood obesity and Oliver will present on his campaign for the introduction of a sugar tax. I’ll try and bring you the highlights later on. |
| 9.09am BST09:09 | 9.09am BST09:09 |
| The Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron spoke to the Today programme about the Wilson Doctrine earlier this morning. He insisted that he was not in favour of protecting privilege for MPs. | The Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron spoke to the Today programme about the Wilson Doctrine earlier this morning. He insisted that he was not in favour of protecting privilege for MPs. |
| I’m in favour of protecting privacy for everybody else and what the Wilson Doctrine was seeking to achieve was to ensure that you could have conversations with journalists. A constituent could blow the whistle to me or any other MP and not be at risk of having their telephone tapped, which in the digital age is a much more likely occurrence.... | I’m in favour of protecting privacy for everybody else and what the Wilson Doctrine was seeking to achieve was to ensure that you could have conversations with journalists. A constituent could blow the whistle to me or any other MP and not be at risk of having their telephone tapped, which in the digital age is a much more likely occurrence.... |
| You should get rid of the Wilson Doctrine if we could replace it with a proper digital bill of rights for everybody. So my privacy is no more important than anybody’s listening to this programme and that’s absolutely critical. | You should get rid of the Wilson Doctrine if we could replace it with a proper digital bill of rights for everybody. So my privacy is no more important than anybody’s listening to this programme and that’s absolutely critical. |
| Farron predicted that the government was likely to revive the Snooper’s Charter, which the Liberal Democrats blocked in the coalition. | Farron predicted that the government was likely to revive the Snooper’s Charter, which the Liberal Democrats blocked in the coalition. |
| My concern is that what government is doing is heading in exactly the opposite direction, that if they bring back the Snooper’s Charter, which is what they are planning to do ... If that happens then you’re going to find not only the security services massively hampered by having so much data they won’t be able to find the people they need to find, but you also have a massive blow to traditional British liberties... | My concern is that what government is doing is heading in exactly the opposite direction, that if they bring back the Snooper’s Charter, which is what they are planning to do ... If that happens then you’re going to find not only the security services massively hampered by having so much data they won’t be able to find the people they need to find, but you also have a massive blow to traditional British liberties... |
| I take the view that not only is that counter-productive, because if you’re looking for a needle in a haystack, don’t triple the size of the haystack, you should also make sure we understand that when we’re trying to fight against terrorists you don’t go giving away your traditional freedoms that Britain has fought for so hard over the years. | I take the view that not only is that counter-productive, because if you’re looking for a needle in a haystack, don’t triple the size of the haystack, you should also make sure we understand that when we’re trying to fight against terrorists you don’t go giving away your traditional freedoms that Britain has fought for so hard over the years. |
| 8.58am BST08:58 | 8.58am BST08:58 |
| Theresa May: "This isn’t about people having different views" | Theresa May: "This isn’t about people having different views" |
| Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, home secretary Theresa May insisted that the anti-extremism measures were not about “people having different views”. | Speaking on the BBC’s Today programme, home secretary Theresa May insisted that the anti-extremism measures were not about “people having different views”. |
| This isn’t about people having different views; different beliefs. It’s not about people saying things that some people don’t agree with. That debate is part of freedom of speech and that debate is part of our democracy - it underpins our society. What this is about is those whose extremist message is there in order to try and spread hatred and to divide communities. And that can, of course, lead to violence, but it also leads to other harms, as we have seen. | This isn’t about people having different views; different beliefs. It’s not about people saying things that some people don’t agree with. That debate is part of freedom of speech and that debate is part of our democracy - it underpins our society. What this is about is those whose extremist message is there in order to try and spread hatred and to divide communities. And that can, of course, lead to violence, but it also leads to other harms, as we have seen. |
| May was cross-questioned about the extension of powers to cancel passports. | May was cross-questioned about the extension of powers to cancel passports. |
| If you talk to, as I have, parents of young people who have been on the path to radicalisation, or perhaps parents, as I have heard from, who have children who have gone out to Syria, some of whom have died out there fighting, then they are saying that they want to see more action taken. They want themselves, within their communities to be able to take more action... | If you talk to, as I have, parents of young people who have been on the path to radicalisation, or perhaps parents, as I have heard from, who have children who have gone out to Syria, some of whom have died out there fighting, then they are saying that they want to see more action taken. They want themselves, within their communities to be able to take more action... |
| I’m not pretending that any of this is easy. Of course this is difficult, but government has a choice here. We can either say ‘well, this is difficult so let’s not do anything’ or we can say ‘well, actually it is difficult, but this is so important that we need to take action.’... | I’m not pretending that any of this is easy. Of course this is difficult, but government has a choice here. We can either say ‘well, this is difficult so let’s not do anything’ or we can say ‘well, actually it is difficult, but this is so important that we need to take action.’... |
| When I talk to people in the muslim community who are out there themselves working against extremism they will welcome support and welcome the fact that the government is saying this is an important issue that we need to deal with. | When I talk to people in the muslim community who are out there themselves working against extremism they will welcome support and welcome the fact that the government is saying this is an important issue that we need to deal with. |
| May also refused to be drawn into condemning the allegations against former Conservative home secretary Leon Brittan – who was cleared of rape allegations – saying instead that she thought it was important that sexual abuse victims weren’t deterred from coming forward. | May also refused to be drawn into condemning the allegations against former Conservative home secretary Leon Brittan – who was cleared of rape allegations – saying instead that she thought it was important that sexual abuse victims weren’t deterred from coming forward. |
| The decisions in relation to looking into allegations are for the police to take. Somebody had come forward with an accusation and what we have seen in recent months and continuing is more people coming forward with allegations of sexual abuse of various sorts ... I think it’s very important that we allow people to come forward with their allegations. | The decisions in relation to looking into allegations are for the police to take. Somebody had come forward with an accusation and what we have seen in recent months and continuing is more people coming forward with allegations of sexual abuse of various sorts ... I think it’s very important that we allow people to come forward with their allegations. |
| Updated at 9.50am BST | Updated at 9.50am BST |
| 8.34am BST08:34 | 8.34am BST08:34 |
| Good Morning. | Good Morning. |
| David Cameron is due to launch his anti-extremism strategy this afternoon as well as making the case for two new pieces of law – the investigatory powers bill and a counter-terrorism bill. | David Cameron is due to launch his anti-extremism strategy this afternoon as well as making the case for two new pieces of law – the investigatory powers bill and a counter-terrorism bill. |
| As part of the overall strategy, he will extend the powers of parents to cancel their children’s passports if they are worried that their children may be about to travel to Syria or Iraq to join Islamic State. The powers that currently apply to under-16s will now be rolled out to all those under-18. | As part of the overall strategy, he will extend the powers of parents to cancel their children’s passports if they are worried that their children may be about to travel to Syria or Iraq to join Islamic State. The powers that currently apply to under-16s will now be rolled out to all those under-18. |
| There will also be new measures to automatically bar convicted terrorists from working with children and vulnerable people. Cameron will also announce that suspected jihadi returning from Syria and Iraq will be forced to attend classes to address their support for extremist ideology. | There will also be new measures to automatically bar convicted terrorists from working with children and vulnerable people. Cameron will also announce that suspected jihadi returning from Syria and Iraq will be forced to attend classes to address their support for extremist ideology. |
| Home Secretary Theresa May has just been speaking on Today and I’ll bring you a summary shortly. | Home Secretary Theresa May has just been speaking on Today and I’ll bring you a summary shortly. |
| There will be an emergency debate on the Wilson Doctrine – a convention that the UK’s intelligence agencies will not eavesdrop on members of parliament – after around 2.30pm. The Psychoactive Substances Bill will get its second reading after that. | There will be an emergency debate on the Wilson Doctrine – a convention that the UK’s intelligence agencies will not eavesdrop on members of parliament – after around 2.30pm. The Psychoactive Substances Bill will get its second reading after that. |
| I’ll be covering for Andrew this week, bringing you breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. | I’ll be covering for Andrew this week, bringing you breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. |
| If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @fperraudin. | If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @fperraudin. |
| Updated at 10.45am BST | Updated at 10.45am BST |