UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has called for a major overhaul of the government’s anti-terrorism strategy.
Speaking at a conference organised by Robin Simcox, the commissioner for countering extremism, Braverman said there was a “blind spot in the system” that allowed religious extremist organisations to operate under the radar.
Braverman placed the blame on “political correctness” and suggested that there could be no place for it in national security.
She announced a scheme aimed at combating misinformation on the government’s anti-terror Prevent program, along with the creation of an independent standards unit to help communities report concerns about prevention efforts.
In addition to the need to combat violent extremism, Braverman voiced her concerns about “non-violent extremism.” She argued that extremism was dangerous in its own right and that comprehensive measures were necessary to deal with it effectively.
Braverman’s remarks followed a long-awaited review into Prevent published last month, which recommended changes to the government’s anti-terror scheme. The report was spearheaded by ex-Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross after it was commissioned by former Home Secretary Priti Patel in 2019.
The report warned that Prevent was “out of kilter with the rest of the counter-terrorism system, and the UK terrorism threat picture” and “must return to its overarching objective: to stop individuals from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.”
It also highlighted the need for a better understanding of the nature of ideology in Islamist radicalisation.
Braverman echoed these concerns, stating that Prevent needed to better understand the threats faced and the ideology underpinning them. She pledged to implement all of the review’s recommendations and to report on her progress in a year’s time.
In conclusion, Braverman stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to combat extremism in the UK. She stated that the government’s focus must solely be on security and that there could be no place for political correctness in national security.
