Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, is set to dismiss internal advice from the Home Office that proposes broadening the definition of extremism to include violent misogyny and conspiracy theorists, according to The Guardian.
A report, developed following the violent disruptions triggered by the Southport murders last year, recommends that authorities adopt a behaviour-focused and ideologically neutral stance towards extremism, moving away from targeting specific “ideologies of concern.”
Despite the recommendations, Cooper is reportedly inclined to maintain the current focus on Islamist and far-right violence, which predominates the UK’s terrorism cases.
This stance comes amidst increasing scrutiny of the government’s approach to handling extremism.
Leaked to the Policy Exchange, a conservative think tank, the report argues that the government should shift from focusing on particular ideological concerns to addressing behaviours and activities that lead to extremism.
This shift is sparked by revelations that counter-terrorism officers had not considered Axel Rudakubana, the perpetrator of the Southport killings, at risk of radicalisation.
Criticism within the report also targets the notion of “two-tier policing,” labelled a right-wing extremist narrative. This term has been used by senior Conservative figures to discuss various concerns, including the handling of pro-Palestinian protests. Additionally, the report notes that right-wing extremist ideologies are becoming increasingly mainstream, exacerbated by scandals around grooming gangs.
The document also highlights “extreme misogyny” within online subcultures known as the ‘manosphere,’ where content often overlaps with racist and extreme right-wing ideologies. For the first time, it also points to potential Hindu extremism, exemplified by recent tensions in Leicester, exacerbated by misinformation.
Following the jailing of Rudakubana for the Southport murders, Labour leader Keir Starmer has called for a review of terrorism legislation.
This stance is supported by ex-police counter-terror commander Neil Basu and Jonathan Hall KC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, who caution against overly broad definitions of extremism.
As discussions continue, former Metropolitan police chief superintendent, Dal Babu, urges caution in legislative changes, citing resource strains in handling current terrorism challenges.
The Home Office has yet to officially adopt the report’s recommendations, which aim to reassess the country’s approach to combating extremism and prevent the spread of hateful ideologies.
In a recent statement, MI5 director Ken McCallum revealed that the majority of threats identified by security services are Islamist in nature, with a significant minority involving far-right extremists.
