In the wake of the Southport riots in August Yvette Cooper commissioned a “rapid analytical sprint” review into extremism policy, whose contents have now been leaked to think tank Policy Exchange. In the view of the Home Office:
- “Claims of ‘two-tier’ policing” are a “Right-wing extremist narrative” which is “leaking into mainstream debates.“
- Previous Tory policy ordering police to record non-crime hate incidents only if there was a serious risk of harm should be reversed.
- Non-crime hate incident recording should be expanded to Islamophobia and antisemitism.
- Grooming gangs are an “alleged” problem “frequently exploit[ed]” by the far-right “to promote anti-Muslim sentiment as well as anti-government and anti-‘political correctness’ narratives.” ‘Alleged’…
- Extremism policy should switch focus from “ideologies of concern” to “behaviours and activity” which includes participation in “online subcultures called the manosphere.”
- The definition of extremism should be expanded to include extreme misogyny, pro-Khalistan extremism, Hindu nationalist extremism, environmental extremism, left wing, anarchist and single-issue extremism (LASI), violence fascination and conspiracy theories.
- There should be a new offence – making “harmful communications” likely to cause “psychological harm.” A rude text…
Policy Exchange warns counter-terror forces’ attention would be diluted by the recommendations, which also threaten free speech and to tar “swathes of the public” as far-right for no reason. Labour claims it has rejected the widened definition of extremism and has yet to sign off on the report. The Home Office says it is “considering a wide range of potential next steps arising” from the document. Nonetheless, the above is the internal view of the Home Office. And Whitehall usually gets its way…
