David Cameron’s new counter-extremism legislation has been condemned by a powerful coalition of opponents, including the former police chief in charge of the government’santi-radicalisation programme, who warns that it could actually fuel terrorism.
The multi-faith alliance of 26 organisations and prominent individuals includes Liberty, Index on Censorship, the National Union of Students, Runnymede Trust and the Muslim Council of Britain, along with individuals including Peter Fahy, ex-chief constable of Greater Manchester and a former policing lead for the Prevent programme.
In a statement directed at the prime minister, the coalition said: “We are a cross-section of British society who believe in the necessity of keeping our nation safe and secure. As such, we are gravely concerned that the proposed counter-extremism and safeguarding bill will feed the very commodity that the terrorists thrive on: fear.”
It added: “These proposals will serve to alienate communities and undermine free speech, but there is scant evidence that they will tackle the terrorism we all want to confront.”
The counter-extremism bill, unveiled in last Wednesday’s Queen’s speech, contains numerous new powers, including the ability to ban “extremist” organisations, gag individuals and empower local councils to close premises used to “promote hatred”. There is no definition of extremism in the bill, however.
“The fact that the government is struggling to define the ‘extremism’ it wants to ban should be a clear indication that this legislation has no place in a liberal democracy,” adds the statement.
The diversity of the coalition assembled indicates the disquiet prompted by the new bill; it includes the Jewish Council for Racial Equality, the British Institute of Human Rights and figures such as the journalist Peter Oborne and Guardian columnist Owen Jones.
Dr Shuja Shafi of the Muslim Council of Britain, which incorporates 500 mosques, schools and charities, said: “The fact that such a diverse range of groups have come together should tell us there are widespread concerns about the proposals in the government’s counter-extremism bill. The terrorists would like nothing better than provoking ill thought-through policies that undermine all our freedoms.”
Meanwhile, a new survey reveals that one in three British adults say they agree that Islam promotes violence in the UK. A study conducted by ComRes on behalf of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK also found that 56% of Britons disagreed with the view that Islam is compatible with British values.
Ibrahim Ikhlaf from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK, said: “The focus in the media on extremism, and linking any type of violence or crime by Muslims to Islam, has skewed public perception so that they believe Islam condones or encourages violence and extremism. Nothing could be further from the truth.”
Tom Mludzinski, director of political polling for ComRes, said the findings revealed the extent of the conflicting perceptions among the British public towards Islam. “With Britons similarly as likely to agree that Islam promotes acts of violence in the UK as they are to agree that Islam promotes peace in the UK, it is clear that perceptions of Islam are mixed among the general public.”