West Yorkshire councils urge new anti-extremism strategy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-33376821

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A new initiative to tackle extremism is needed because the current one is not working, two council leaders have said.

The leaders of Bradford and Kirklees councils have urged the home secretary to fund a new programme locally.

It comes after a Dewsbury teenager became the UK's youngest suicide bomber and three sisters from Bradford travelled with their children to Syria.

The Home Office said it was doing everything it could to stop people being radicalised.

'Damaged goods'

The two leaders, David Green from Bradford and David Sheard of Kirklees, said people locally no longer had trust in current strategy, Prevent.

"As a scheme it has become regarded as damaged goods by the very people that we need to engage with," said Mr Green.

"It is really difficult to get to those people who are most at risk and most vulnerable to extremism.

"You have got to have something that people understand and feel is positive, rather than a stick to beat them with."

The current strategy, Prevent, was developed as part of the government's post 9/11 counter-terrorism strategy in 2003 and overhauled in 2011 following a review.

Lord Carlile, who was the government's independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, gave it his support.

"I think it is a bit unfair to successive governments simply to criticise Prevent as a concept that doesn't work, because there is plenty of evidence it has worked," he said.

In a statement, the Home Office said it shared the concerns of people in Bradford and Kirklees.

"Protecting those who are vulnerable and at risk of radicalisation is a job for all of us and this government is continuing to work in partnership with communities of all faith backgrounds to challenge those who spread hatred and intolerance," it said.