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Prevent: Independent Review
08 February 2023
Lead MP
Suella Braverman
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
NHSUkraineCommunity SecurityMental Health
Other Contributors: 21
At a Glance
Suella Braverman raised concerns about prevent: independent review in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, made a statement about the independent review of Prevent. She praised President Zelensky's address to Parliament and acknowledged the commitment of the UK government towards supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression. The statement emphasised the importance of protecting British values and freedoms from extremist threats. Recent terrorist attacks such as the Westminster attack, Manchester Arena bombing, Finsbury Park incident, Fishmongers’ Hall murders, and Forbury Gardens shootings were highlighted as examples of ideological extremism. Prevent is a counter-terrorism strategy focused on early intervention to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. The independent review led by William Shawcross recommended major reforms for Prevent, including addressing Islamism more directly, focusing solely on security rather than political correctness, broadening the understanding of non-violent extremism and antisemitism, and strengthening oversight of Prevent funding. Braverman committed to implementing all recommendations within a year, stating that preventing terrorism requires countering extremist ideologies effectively.
Priti Patel
Con
Withernsea
Question
In your statement, you have outlined a number of measures that will be introduced as part of reforming Prevent. Will the Minister outline how they can be delivered on in practice?
Minister reply
The Home Secretary confirmed her commitment to swift implementation of William Shawcross’s recommendations and pledged to report progress in a year's time. The reforms include focusing on ideological causes of terrorism, providing better training for Prevent staff, establishing a consistent threshold for ideological threats, improving decision-making processes, strengthening oversight of civil society organisations, and enhancing scrutiny through the Commission for Countering Extremism.
Helen Whately
Con
Farnborough
Question
You have set out very clearly in your statement that there is a need to tackle Islamism more robustly. How will you reassure local communities who are concerned about the impact of those reforms?
Minister reply
The Home Secretary assured the House that Prevent’s primary objective remains countering terrorism and extremism, not addressing personal or social issues unrelated to security. She emphasised working closely with Muslim communities to effectively tackle Islamism while combating intimidation faced by individuals challenging extremist ideologies.
Kwasi Kwarteng
Con
Spelthorne
Question
Does the Minister agree that her statement and its recommendations represent a decisive step forward in counter-terrorism policy?
Minister reply
The Home Secretary agreed that the Prevent reforms were significant steps towards addressing the ideological roots of terrorism, stressing the necessity to focus on security without being hindered by political correctness or cultural sensitivities.
Yvette Cooper
Lab
Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley
Question
I thank the Home Secretary for advance sight of her statement. May I also say how much all of us welcome and pay tribute to the words of President Zelensky? This is a moment to pay tribute to the work of the security and intelligence services, counter-terror police and all those who work on preventing and countering extremism and terror threats. Prevent programme needs to be part of an updated wider strategy but instead it feels confused.
Minister reply
I welcome the challenge from the shadow Home Secretary on the Labour Front Bench. We cannot ignore the seriousness of non-violent extremism and groups that purport to be operating in the name of community cohesion but are actually propagating mendacious and malicious campaigns. We must combat those pernicious fallacies and be courageous and muscular in combating that misinformation.
Julian Lewis
Con
New Forest East
Question
I am slightly sorry about the lack of consensus in the Chamber, although that illustrates the point that when views are strongly held, reaching consensus may be an ideal goal. However, drawing on the shadow Home Secretary’s comments, may I ask my right hon. and learned Friend to focus on the voluntary aspect of the Prevent programme? Does this mean there is a gap in the system?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend makes a very important point. Although Prevent is predominantly about security and safety and must be heavily informed by the security assessments, there is a very strong community element. That is why work with local authorities and agencies in healthcare and education is vital. There are many stories of lives turned around and harm averted, thanks to the great work done by multi-agency partners.
Kirsten Oswald
SNP
West Tyrone
Question
Questions remain about the focus of the report. The MP highlights the increasing number of right-wing extremist plots and arrests, expressing concern that stigmatising Muslim communities could be counterproductive. She also asks if there are plans to address recent forms of extremism such as QAnon and whether changes will be made to ensure funding does not go to organisations promoting extremist narratives. Additionally, she inquires about the impact on Scotland’s approach to Prevent.
Minister reply
The Home Secretary disagrees with the characterisation that focusing on Islamist extremism is unfair or stigmatising towards Muslims. She argues that calling out extremist ideology, which includes preaching jihad and encouraging religious violence, is essential for countering terror threats.
John Hayes
Con
South Holland and The Deepings
Question
The MP recognises the Prevent duty introduced under his tenure as Security Minister but points out that it has become misaligned with actual security threats, focusing too narrowly on Islamist extremism while ignoring other forms of extremism less significant in scale. He suggests bringing the Prevent programme back into line to play its proper part in the Contest strategy.
Minister reply
The Home Secretary acknowledges her right hon. Friend's contributions and confirms that a security threat check will be introduced to ensure consistency between on-ground work and actual security threats.
Khalid Mahmood
Lab
Birmingham, Perry Barr
Question
The MP argues that the Home Secretary’s approach of working with smaller organisations is problematic. He suggests that updating the terrorism strategy holistically would address issues within the Prevent review and ensure it works effectively across different communities.
Minister reply
She commits to a refresh of the Contest counter-terrorism strategy, emphasising the importance of community engagement and support for those working diligently to prevent radicalisation.
Mark Pritchard
Con
The Wrekin
Question
The MP expresses concern about the growing threat from extreme right-wing ideology among young people online and asks what more can be done to prevent this.
Minister reply
She acknowledges the increasing threat of extreme right-wing terrorism, noting that mechanisms will be in place through the Online Safety Bill to combat such threats.
Kevan Jones
Lab
North Durham
Question
The MP criticises the Home Secretary for constructing a hierarchy of terrorism threats and suggests she listens to security services which do not want Prevent used as a political football between different threats.
Minister reply
She argues that the current greatest threat is Islamist extremism, with MI5 caseloads reflecting this. She emphasises the need for honesty about the nature and scale of different terrorist threats.
Anna Firth
Con
Heywood and Middleton
Question
The MP welcomes the statement but expresses concern that without a focus on tackling Islamic terrorism, other constituencies could face similar tragedies. She asks for a commitment to ensure Prevent is focused on this threat.
Minister reply
She commits to robust action against terrorism and emphasises the need to remedy shortcomings in the Prevent programme to prevent further terrorist acts.
Munira Wilson
Lib Dem
Twickenham
Question
I would like to think that everybody, on both sides of the House, is united in wanting to tackle extremism and terrorism, whichever faith groups, or those of no faith at all, are targeted, so I deeply regret the tone of some of the Home Secretary’s remarks today. I welcome the fact that the review of the Prevent strategy has finally been published; in the past, the strategy has been undermined by suspicion and tension. Does the Home Secretary agree that in order to combat violent extremism, we must engage with marginalised communities, and that by demonising one community in particular, which her language has sought to do today, we are doing precisely the opposite?
Minister reply
We all need to be intellectually honest about the situation and we must not shy away from speaking the truth, however uncomfortable that may be. I have not sought, and nor do I ever seek, to demonise any particular community in this country.
Question
It is evident from the Home Secretary’s robust statement that Prevent has been dragged badly off course as a consequence of political correctness and misplaced cultural sensitivities. Our response to the threat from terrorism must be based on the level of risk. Islamist terrorism remains the greatest security risk to the UK, yet last year only 16% of referrals were associated with that ideology. Does she agree with me that that fact demonstrates how badly Prevent has failed the communities of this country and how much it needs urgent reform?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. This is not just about focusing on the sharp end of violent activity; this is about ensuring there is wider understanding of non-violent extremism within the wider Islamist movement that promotes grievance narratives and propagates a wider ideological movement that is undermining of western values and liberal democracies.
Jeremy Corbyn
Ind
Islington North
Question
I thank the Home Secretary for her statement and for referring to the horrific incident that happened in Finsbury Park in 2017, when a far-right extremist, Darren Osborne, killed Makram Ali, a local Muslim person. Would she acknowledge that within our community in Finsbury Park, the Jewish community, the Muslim community, the Christian community, imams and many other religious leaders have done a great deal to try to bring the community together and promote community understanding and cohesion, and that it is important we bring people together and do not demonise any particular community or allow racism in any form to thrive in our society?
Minister reply
It is absolutely important to bring all communities together. I have to say that advice from the right hon. Gentleman is pretty tin-eared, given his particular oversight and leadership of the Labour party.
Question
Stoke-on-Trent has suffered from both far-right extremism and Islamic extremism, yet the Home Office is proposing to remove our Prevent funding and remove what small amount of funding Stoke-on-Trent City Council receives, which has a massive impact. Will the Home Office please look urgently to review that and consider restoring that funding from the end of the financial year?
Minister reply
For Prevent to operate effectively within local communities, funding is essential. This is why it is absolutely essential that the Home Office works in conjunction with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, so that the right resources are put on the frontline and the multi-agency partnership approach can be effective.
Zarah Sultana
Your Party
Coventry South
Question
When the Government appointed William Shawcross to lead the review of Prevent, more than 450 Muslim organisations and leading human rights organisations such as Amnesty International boycotted it. Shawcross’s anti-Muslim attitude is well known. He said, for example, that “Europe and Islam is one of the…most terrifying problems of our future.” Human rights groups said that this attitude meant the review’s supposed objectivity was a farce, warning that it would ignore Prevent’s discriminatory impact and its undermining of democratic freedoms. That warning has been borne out today. Why does the Home Secretary think that perspective is absent from the review?
Minister reply
I have nothing but gratitude for William Shawcross and the very firm and robust work that he has carried out to assess the operations of Prevent.
Matt Vickers
Con
Stockton West
Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Prevent programme will work only if we bring communities along with us, and that the Government must continue to work sensibly with them to tackle radicalisation?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We have to work with grassroots organisations and work with members of all communities if we are to get this right.
Afzal Khan
Lab
Manchester Rusholme
Question
The review appears to be suggesting that there should be less emphasis on far-right terrorism. Given the terrorist attack at a migrant centre by an individual who wanted to “obliterate Muslim children”, and given the statistics that show how there are more referrals to Prevent and more Channel interventions for the far-right than for Islamist cases, is that really the right thing to do?
Minister reply
I am going by the data and by the facts. Counter-terrorism police make it clear that Islamist cases make up 80% of their investigations; MI5 says that they account for 75% of its caseloads.
Rachel Hopkins
Lab
Luton South and South Bedfordshire
Question
I pay tribute to Luton in Harmony, which does great work on community cohesion in Luton. Any effective deradicalisation programme has to carry the confidence of local communities. Given the Home Secretary’s statement today, what steps is she taking to ensure that that happens, so I can reassure my Luton South constituents?
Minister reply
When it comes to the Muslim community, the Government are clear that we will not tolerate any anti-Muslim hatred, in any form, and that we will seek to stamp it out wherever it occurs.
Question
Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. Welsh universities play a vital role in the Prevent strategy in Wales, and their work is monitored by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. Higher education is devolved, so what discussions will the Home Secretary have with Welsh Ministers about the proposed reforms? What input did Welsh Ministers have into the review?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman mentioned universities. An important feature of William Shawcross’s report is what he says about the extent of anti-Prevent activity on university campuses.
Shadow Comment
Yvette Cooper
Shadow Comment
The shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, welcomed the statement but criticised the mishandling of Prevent review. She acknowledged the importance of Prevent in early intervention to prevent radicalisation and extremism, supporting an updated counter-terrorism strategy encompassing all aspects of Contest, including pursue, protect and prepare elements. Cooper highlighted the shortcomings in pursuing terrorism prevention measures and protecting against threats as seen in the Manchester bombing inquiry findings. The Labour Party called for a wider review of the counter-extremism strategy to address recent changes in Islamist and far-right extremism, advocate for mental health support in schools, and ensure proper scrutiny and oversight of Prevent's activities. Cooper questioned whether Braverman’s approach would build consensus necessary for the voluntary engagement programme and criticised the lack of updates to the overall counter-extremism strategy.
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