Dame Sara Khan, the former Home Office extremism tsar, says official proposals to tackle extremism in Britain have been “sitting on a shelf gathering dust” despite evidence that the country is facing “unprecedented” levels of radicalisation. The Telegraph has the story.
Dame Sara Khan said she was “baffled” that the department failed to formally respond to any of the reports she produced as head of the Commission for Countering Extremism.
She warned that the country’s “counter-extremism infrastructure” is “poor, it is weakly coordinated and there are serious gaps”.
The intervention comes after the Metropolitan Police said they agreed with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation’s assessment that there were “red lights blinking everywhere” – in a reference to the warning signs missed before the September 11th attacks – following the October 7th atrocities carried out by Hamas. …
But, addressing MPs last week, Dame Sara, who was Counter-Extremism Commissioner between January 2018 and March 2021, said: “I have not had a response from the Government to any of my reports when I was at the Commission for Countering Extremism, which in all honesty I have to say I find baffling.
“Even more so given that one of the key recommendations made to the Home Secretary in March this year by Sir John Saunders, who carried out the inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombings, was as a matter of urgency to consider and respond to the Operating with Impunity report [produced by the independent Commission for Countering Extremism].”
She added: “As far as I am aware, my reports are all sitting on a shelf gathering dust in the Home Office. …
“What I stated in my report was that having reviewed the Government’s then 2015 counter-extremism strategy, which was not about laws, having now carried out a legal review looking into the gaps in legislation, we do not unfortunately have a robust, strong counter-extremism infrastructure.
“Instead, it is poor, it is weakly coordinated and there are serious gaps.”
Worth reading in full.
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Why are these officials referred to as ‘tsars’? The tsars were autocratic rulers.
Er, it wasn’t that long ago that there was an outcry about the govt using PREVENT way beyond its remit – including spying on particular ministers – and the Lib Dem FOI request that revealed numerous local councils using RIPA to spy on the public. Plus all the legislation the police seem to be abusing to monitor social media activity and the new online censorship laws. So what’s this about – have they got yet more draconian legislation in the works they’re laying the groundwork for?
I’d say “Is the pope Catholic?”
But I’m not sure that expression has the meaning it once had.
Aye – you’re not wrong there. Bears and woods, perhaps.
Hmm. I’d say I’m pretty happy it’s gathering dust.
Not sure giving more powers to the British government to define “extremism” and to enact more draconian force over us is ever a good thing.
My thoughts entirely. In today’s political environment we would almost certainly be seen as the extremists that needed countering.
Not sure I’m all that keen on HMG having “extremism” plans, or plans for anything else beyond the basic services they are meant to provide but don’t
Snap. 🫰
The plans for deckchair arrangement hasn’t been updated on the Titanic. A totally open borders is the issue and the number of ppl allowed to enter from countries with medieval beliefs.
Stop knocking the mediaeval period – nobody in Christendom had a policy of genocide.
Muslims may disagree about The Crusades.
Read “While Europe Slept” by Bruce Bawer
And “The End Of Faith” by Sam Harris
And stop knocking the seating arrangements! They were fine on the port side although, the starboard side needed a little attention 😉