Michael Gove’s department to create public list of ‘extremist’ groups blacklisted from funding or meeting ministers

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The authorities is about to create a list of “extremist” groups that might be blacklisted from funding and prevented from meeting ministers and civil servants below new plans drawn up by Michael Gove.

Mr Gove, the levelling up secretary, mentioned he’ll use a brand new definition of extremism to try to crack down on the “pervasiveness of extremist ideologies” which have “become increasingly clear” within the aftermath of the 7 October assault by Hamas on Israel.

The definition says extremism is the development of a violent, hateful or illiberal ideology that goals to “negate or destroy” the rights of others, or which goals to “undermine, overturn or replace” the UK’s democracy and democratic rights.

Extremism can also be outlined because the promotion of an ideology that goals to “intentionally create a permissive environment” for others to obtain the identical goals.

The definition doesn’t create new powers, just isn’t statutory and has no impact on current prison regulation.

The new definition has already confronted criticism from three former residence secretaries and Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, all of whom cautioned the federal government over the danger of politicising anti-extremism.

The archbishop mentioned that the plans danger “disproportionately targeting Muslim communities”. He added: “The new definition being proposed not only inadvertently threatens freedom of speech, but also the right to worship and peaceful protest – things that have been hard won and form the fabric of a civilised society.”

Government officers insist that the definition units a “high bar” that can solely seize essentially the most regarding actions. Those who present a “permissive environment” for extremist groups might be classed as those that repeatedly provide a platform for people regardless of figuring out that they’ve been blacklisted, for instance.

As effectively as not receiving funding or meeting with ministers, extremist groups or people might be barred from public appointments and from receiving honours.

The authorities revealed the extremism definition on Thursday and civil servants will now spend the following few weeks deciding which groups match the factors. Inclusion on the list will then be signed off by Mr Gove. The Department for Levelling Up has dedicated to publishing the list when it’s full and has not dominated out placing people on the list sooner or later.

Those who’re designated as extremists might be contacted by officers and given the chance to present mitigating proof, detailing why they shouldn’t be included. But as soon as they’re included on the list of extremist organisations their solely recourse might be within the courts.

It is probably going that one or extra of the groups listed will attempt to deliver a judicial assessment in opposition to the coverage.

Mr Gove introduced the brand new definition by praising the range of Britain, however he warned that British values and democracy are “under challenge from extremists”.

He added: “The pervasiveness of extremist ideologies has become increasingly clear in the aftermath of the October 7 attacks and poses a real risk to the security of our citizens and our democracy.

Read: A defining moment as ministers update what counts as extremism

“This is the work of the extreme right-wing and Islamist extremists who are seeking to separate Muslims from the rest of society and create division within Muslim communities. They seek to radicalise individuals, deny people their full rights, suppress freedom of expression, incite hatred, and undermine our democratic institutions.”

Mr Gove mentioned that the measures would “ensure that government does not inadvertently provide a platform to those setting out to subvert democracy and deny other people’s fundamental rights”.

Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy chief reacted to the announcement by saying that “tinkering with a new definition” was not sufficient to deal with extremism. She added: “The government’s counterextremism strategy is now nine years out of date, and they’ve repeatedly failed to define Islamophobia. Any suggestion that the government has been engaging with groups that they’ve now decided are extremists raises serious questions over why it has taken so long to act.”

The announcement comes as polling from More in Common finds that 25 per cent of the public thinks the UK is unsafe for Muslims and 39 per cent suppose it’s unsafe for Jews.

This is in contrast to 15 per cent of these surveyed saying Britain was unsafe for them personally. The polling firm surveyed 2,027 adults.