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PM plays down 'Islamist' cash row PM denies 'extremist' fund claims
(about 4 hours later)
Gordon Brown has played down claims that public money was given to two schools which, the Tories say, have links to Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir. Gordon Brown has denied Tory claims that money from an "anti-extremism" fund was given to two schools with alleged links to Islamic extremists.
Tory leader David Cameron suggested money from an "anti-extremist fund" had been given to "extremists". The prime minister wrote to David Cameron to deny the allegations made in the Commons, sparking a political row.
The PM has written to Mr Cameron saying this was not the case and Hizb ut-Tahrir was under "continuous review". Schools Secretary Ed Balls said they were "divisive smears" and Tory aides later agreed some facts were not right.
Hizb ut-Tahrir said it did not run any schools and accused Mr Cameron of "bare-faced lies". But a Tory spokesman said their main claim that the schools received some public money had been vindicated.
The row began at prime minister's questions on Wednesday when Mr Cameron accused the government of allowing the funding of extremism. Shadow communities minister Paul Goodman accused Mr Balls of "throwing up chaff".
'Anti-extremist fund'
He said two schools had been established by "an extremist Islamist foundation" which he said was a "front" for Hizb ut-Tahrir - a legal organisation that former Prime Minister Tony Blair had said he would ban.
Mr Cameron asked Mr Brown: "How can you have an anti-extremist fund that results in a Labour local authority handing out money to extremists?"
"They have secured a total of £113,000 of government money, some of which was from the Pathfinder scheme, whose objective is meant to be preventing violent extremism."
Ed Balls: "If you are going to make the allegations, you need to get your facts right"
Mr Brown said he would look "very carefully" at the allegations. But Schools Secretary Mr Balls said the Tories were wrong in their claims that the schools had not been inspected by Ofsted and were not registered.
He told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that both Slough and Haringey local authorities, where the schools are based, had told him "categorically" that "the only funding they've received is for the care of three and four-year-old nursery care".
He said both had been inspected at his request in 2007 when concerns were first raised and were "registered on a publicly available website".
'Genuinely worrying''Genuinely worrying'
He added: "There is no evidence at all of extremist activity. They are inspected. They are properly registered. As far as we are aware they are using public money properly." The Islamist group in question, Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT), said it did not run any schools and accused Mr Cameron of "bare-faced lies".
He said: "I think David Cameron and [shadow schools secretary] Michael Gove have made a massive misjudgement today... to play politics when you don't know the facts is a very very dangerous thing to do and I think that's what they've done today." But Mr Goodman told BBC Two's Newsnight: "A charity controlled by an extremist organisation that supports attacks on our troops in Afghanistan has been funded by Ed Balls' department.
In his letter to the Tory leader, Mr Brown said Hizb ut-Tahrir (HuT) had "been formally considered for proscription a number of times in the past, and each time the advice received was that it was not judged to meet the statutory test". "We know perfectly well that the person who headed up this charity has spoken on Hizb ut-Tahrir platforms and her husband is the main media operator for Hizb ut-Tahrir in the UK."
But he added: "As an organisation which causes us concern, HuT and its activities and statements are kept under continuous review." Our school is being used as part of a wider political agenda and this type of vilification of the Muslim community needs to stop Farah Ahmed Head teacher
The prime minister went on: "I can confirm that no funding related to Preventing Violent Extremism has been given to the schools. Mr Balls told the same programme there was no evidence extremism had been promoted at either of the schools - based in Slough and the London borough of Haringey.
He said the "responsible thing" would have been for Mr Cameron to check the facts with him before making "smears and allegations which divide our communities".
He said: "The issue here is that a very divisive allegation was made about two schools which splits communities, which divides our country, on the basis of false allegations.
"The question is were these schools promoting terrorism or extremism? We have sent in Ofsted advisers, who have gone in and said no.
"I looked across the curriculum and the evidence was no. In the last few weeks... Haringey and Slough looked at the facts and there was no evidence that extremism has been promoted."
David Cameron: "Two schools have been established by an extremist Islamist foundation"
The row began at prime minister's questions on Wednesday when Mr Cameron accused the government of allowing the funding of extremism.
He said the schools had been established by "an extremist Islamist foundation" which he said was a "front" for HuT - a legal organisation former Prime Minister Tony Blair had said he would ban.
Mr Cameron said the schools had secured £113,000 of government money and claimed some came from the Pathfinder scheme, whose objective was meant to be preventing violent extremism.
But Mr Balls told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "I think David Cameron and [shadow schools secretary] Michael Gove have made a massive misjudgement."
'Baseless allegations'
In his letter to the Tory leader, Mr Brown explained why HuT had not been banned, saying for that to happen there would have to be evidence it was "concerned in terrorism" and it had not met that test.
He added: "I can confirm that no funding related to Preventing Violent Extremism has been given to the schools.
"Individual local authorities are responsible for allocating funding for free entitlement to nursery provision.""Individual local authorities are responsible for allocating funding for free entitlement to nursery provision."
He added: "Obviously, I would be very concerned if there were any evidence that public funding was going to an organisation that was involved in or associated with extremism, and would ensure that any evidence you may have which has not previously come to light was thoroughly investigated." Earlier, Mr Gove told the BBC the schools had received public funding and the charity had links with HuT which he said "seems to be genuinely worrying".
Earlier, Mr Gove told the BBC: "We know that they have received public funding and we know that the charity concerned has links with Hizb ut-Tahrir."
He added: "It seems to be genuinely worrying."
Haringey Council said it launched an investigation into claims about the school in its area on 26 October and funding had been suspended pending the outcome.Haringey Council said it launched an investigation into claims about the school in its area on 26 October and funding had been suspended pending the outcome.
Our school is being used as part of a wider political agenda and this type of vilification of the Muslim community needs to stop Farah Ahmed Head teacher But a spokesman said "no evidence was found to suggest inappropriate content or influence in the school".
But a spokesman said "no evidence was found to suggest inappropriate content or influence in the school" and it had told them "that it no longer has any links with any of the individuals who are alleged to have connections with Hizb ut-Tahrir".
"We are waiting for evidence from the school that the reported connections have been completely severed," he said.
Meanwhile the head teacher of the school in Slough, Farah Ahmed, said: "Our school is being used as part of a wider political agenda and this type of vilification of the Muslim community needs to stop."Meanwhile the head teacher of the school in Slough, Farah Ahmed, said: "Our school is being used as part of a wider political agenda and this type of vilification of the Muslim community needs to stop."
She added: "We would expect politicians to check the accuracy of the information they receive before using it. No-one from the Conservative Party has contacted the school to verify information."
In 2005 Tony Blair suggested he would ban the Islamist organisation, but later dropped the idea.In 2005 Tony Blair suggested he would ban the Islamist organisation, but later dropped the idea.
The group denies links to terrorism and says it opposes violence, but does campaign for an Islamic state across the Middle East.The group denies links to terrorism and says it opposes violence, but does campaign for an Islamic state across the Middle East.
In a statement it accused Mr Cameron of "baseless allegations" and said it never accepted funding from government.In a statement it accused Mr Cameron of "baseless allegations" and said it never accepted funding from government.
Spokesman Taji Mustafa said it was a political party that did not run schools, adding: "David Cameron's bare faced lies that Hizb ut-Tahrir runs schools, receives government funding and promotes hatred and violence are another desperate attempt to boost Conservative poll ratings." Spokesman Taji Mustafa said it was a political party that did not run schools, adding: "David Cameron's bare-faced lies that Hizb ut-Tahrir runs schools, receives government funding and promotes hatred and violence are another desperate attempt to boost Conservative poll ratings."
In the Commons the Conservative leader also asked Mr Brown why the group had not been banned. Mr Brown said that "proscription should be on the basis of evidence, that was clearly proven, about advocating violence".