This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/8400734.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Extremism strategy 'needs change' | Extremism strategy 'needs change' |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| The government's flagship strategy to stop young people becoming terrorists has suffered from a "lack of clarity", the communities secretary has said. | |
| John Denham used a speech to defend the Prevent strategy - but also conceded that some parts of it must change. | |
| The strategy has been dogged by controversy over its aims and claims by some Muslims they are being spied on. | |
| The programme to prevent violent extremism by working with communities emerged after the 2005 London bombings. | The programme to prevent violent extremism by working with communities emerged after the 2005 London bombings. |
| Prevent is one of the major planks of the government's counter-terrorism strategy, known as Contest, designed to combat al-Qaeda-inspired violence and radicalisation. | Prevent is one of the major planks of the government's counter-terrorism strategy, known as Contest, designed to combat al-Qaeda-inspired violence and radicalisation. |
| About £20m is being spent annually on Prevent programmes, many of them administered by local authorities. | About £20m is being spent annually on Prevent programmes, many of them administered by local authorities. |
| Prevent is a crime prevention programme and at its root is to try and make sure none of our young people ruin their lives John Denham | Prevent is a crime prevention programme and at its root is to try and make sure none of our young people ruin their lives John Denham |
| Some more sensitive projects come under direct Whitehall control. | Some more sensitive projects come under direct Whitehall control. |
| Muslim community organisations have been split over Prevent, with some willing to work with government - but others denying that there is even a problem that needs addressing. | Muslim community organisations have been split over Prevent, with some willing to work with government - but others denying that there is even a problem that needs addressing. |
| Meanwhile, competition between organisations to prove to government that they are best placed to prevent extremism has raised questions about the credibility and independence of some of those bidding for funding. | Meanwhile, competition between organisations to prove to government that they are best placed to prevent extremism has raised questions about the credibility and independence of some of those bidding for funding. |
| At least one council initially refused to touch the money because it believed that the programme's title was enough to damage local race relations. | At least one council initially refused to touch the money because it believed that the programme's title was enough to damage local race relations. |
| Mr Denham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme one example of the lack of clarity was the "completely wrong" perception the programme was about demonising the Muslim community. | Mr Denham told BBC Radio 4's Today programme one example of the lack of clarity was the "completely wrong" perception the programme was about demonising the Muslim community. |
| "Prevent is a crime prevention programme and at its root is to try and make sure none of our young people ruin their lives and other peoples' lives by being drawn into violent extremism," he said. | "Prevent is a crime prevention programme and at its root is to try and make sure none of our young people ruin their lives and other peoples' lives by being drawn into violent extremism," he said. |
| "It works, not because you demonise a community, but because the vast majority of Muslims are totally opposed to that type of violence. | "It works, not because you demonise a community, but because the vast majority of Muslims are totally opposed to that type of violence. |
| "You work with them, you bring that great majority view to bear on those who would try to promote violent extremism." | "You work with them, you bring that great majority view to bear on those who would try to promote violent extremism." |
| Racism threat | Racism threat |
| He also insisted there was no programme "about collecting ideas about people's political attitudes or beliefs" and denied "spying" was part of the strategy. | He also insisted there was no programme "about collecting ideas about people's political attitudes or beliefs" and denied "spying" was part of the strategy. |
| "No more than if you knew that someone in your street... was carrying a gun, you would report that to the police," he said. | "No more than if you knew that someone in your street... was carrying a gun, you would report that to the police," he said. |
| Mr Denham's department issued new guidance in August telling councils to broaden their strategy to include a rise in right-wing racism. | Mr Denham's department issued new guidance in August telling councils to broaden their strategy to include a rise in right-wing racism. |
| In a speech to councils on Tuesday, Mr Denham said that phrases or titles such as Preventing Violent Extremism could be dropped if local officials thought they would be a barrier to getting things done. | In a speech to councils on Tuesday, Mr Denham said that phrases or titles such as Preventing Violent Extremism could be dropped if local officials thought they would be a barrier to getting things done. |
| Mr Denham told the audience that Prevent schemes would only work if Muslim groups knew that their concerns were being listened to - and that they were also "full partners" in tackling violent ideology. | Mr Denham told the audience that Prevent schemes would only work if Muslim groups knew that their concerns were being listened to - and that they were also "full partners" in tackling violent ideology. |