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Few things better sum up the confusion in the government’s counterterrorism strategy than the failings of Prevent, the government’s flagship scheme to stop British Muslims becoming radicalised. Part of it involves the doling out of money to supposedly moderate groups. But a recent report from the think-tank Policy Exchange shows that because of the narrow focus on preventing violent extremism, money has gone to groups that are still far from moderate. Indeed, when the Conservative shadow minister Paul Goodman asked for a list of organisations that had received funds under this scheme, the government was unable to oblige — because it didn’t have one. So much for joined-up government.
Supporting the moderate majority of British Muslims has long been a policy goal. But its practical measures on the crucial questions of whom exactly to engage with, whom to share a platform with, whom to fund and whom to let into the country have consistently undercut the moderates because they have been designed to appease the extremists. The government has long acted as if a string of concessions is the best defence.
Ever since the police suggested to a book-store in Bradford 20 years ago that in response to protests it might want to remove The Satanic Verses from display, the British state has encouraged the idea in Muslim communities that it is those who are prepared to resort to extra-democratic means who get results. The Conservative government-in-waiting should not repeat this mistake. It should not engage with any group that is led by those who advocate or (more importantly) fail to condemn violence at home or abroad. Its ministers and civil servants should only share platforms with those who accept British liberal democratic values. Foreign agitators who wish to turn British Muslims against the British state should not be allowed into this country. Crucially, this robust approach must apply to money as well as to people. Just as foreign donations to British political parties are banned, there should be a bar on foreign foundations, governments and individuals funding the spread of political Islamism here. Finally, the government should only give taxpayers’ money to those groups which are prepared actively to promote British liberal democratic values.
After the 7/7 attacks in 2005, Tony Blair pithily set out what needed to be done: ‘We will start to beat this when we stand up and confront the ideology of this evil. Not just the methods but the ideas.’ It would be disastrous for community cohesion if we waited until the next attack by British citizens on British citizens before embarking on this task. It is time that the rules of the game finally did change.
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