UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The Labour government is facing pressure from prominent figures to revise its strategy on extremism as experts warn current plans are insufficient.
The ex-president of counter-terrorism policing, Neil Basu, and Dame Sara Khan, former counter-extremism tsar, raised concerns that the government’s last month’s proposals are inadequate to tackle the rising spread of hatred, misinformation, and harmful rhetoric from influential figures like Tesla owner Elon Musk.
Last month, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper revealed plans to boost funding for counter-terrorism police, strengthen the Prevent scheme, and appoint a new independent commissioner to monitor its success.
This new position conflicts with the Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE), which was established following the 2017 terror attacks, with no decision yet made about its future, according to the Observer.
As reported by The Guardian, Sara Khan, who headed the commission from 2018 to 2021, expressed support for the appointment of an independent Prevent commissioner by the Labour government but stressed that a separate organization was still required to counter extremism and misinformation.
Ms. Khan stated,
“Extremism is a societal problem and requires a societal response. Trying to counter extremism through the lens of counter-terrorism and national security has to date been a futile, flawed and failed approach.”
Neil Basu, ex-head of UK counter-terrorism policing, argued that Prevent cannot address non-violent extremism and urged the development of a “coherent strategy.”
He added,
“You have to look at the full spectrum from extremism to terrorism, or you’re never going to be able to understand the whole threat.”
Ms Basu said people with large online followers can spread extremism, and without government intervention, it poses a serious risk.
He expressed concerns that the online backlash stirred by Elon Musk regarding Britain’s response to grooming gangs could lead to potential violence, highlighting the 2017 Finsbury Park incident, where far-right groups prompted a strike on Muslims.
Mr Basu stated,
“The people claiming there is a cover-up of mass rape may not be designing their language to create a race war or a riot, but it can – we know it can.”
A former Metropolitan police officer criticized Musk’s comments on grooming gangs, migration and UK politicians, as “dangerous,” adding that they could lead to tangible consequences.
According to a 2021 report, the Commission for Countering Extremism warned that radicalizers were free to operate online due to loopholes in hate crime laws, anti-terrorism laws, and the lack of social media controls.
Despite the report’s findings, Conservative ministers did not address its suggestions, and the CCE’s role has become more focused on government policy, development, and overseeing the Prevent scheme.
The “counter-extremism sprint” from the Labour government in July wasn’t handled by the body, instead, Home Office officials handled the research. Commissioner Robin Simcox’s term will end this summer.
Ms Khan highlighted that the CCE’s focus has been altered since her exit, with less attention on non-terrorist extremism. She argued that this was a mistake, adding that the UK remains poorly prepared to tackle the growing extremism risk.
Meanwhile, Mr Basu warned that without addressing problems like poverty and social inequality, the government will fail to tackle extremism, which leaves people open to radicalisation.
He highlighted that the government’s plans to address the Prevent scheme will focus on violent extremism, not the wider ideas and influencers behind it.
“Not all extremism leads to terrorism; much of it comes from extreme political views or social issues, which aren’t security problems,”
Mr. Basu said.
A spokesperson from the Home Office mentioned that more steps will be shared in due course, emphasizing that the “counter-extremism sprint” has played an essential role in analyzing national challenges and shaping an effective strategy for contemporary threats, with guidance from expert bodies such as the CCE.
Last month, the government announced a £140 million funding boost for counter-terrorism police and £499 million for the UK intelligence community in 2025, in response to growing national security threats, including terrorism.