Michael Gove defends new extremism policy as controversy rages

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Micheal Gove has defended his controversial plans to call and disgrace ‘extremist’ teams amid claims the policy threatens the “fabric of a civilised society”.

The communities secretary insisted his plans weren’t meant to cease folks protesting and weren’t a “restraint on free speech”.

But his new definition of extremism has come underneath hearth from three former house secretaries and Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The archbishop mentioned that the plans threat “disproportionately targeting Muslim communities” and threaten the “right to worship and peaceful protest – things that have been hard won and form the fabric of a civilised society.”

Mr Gove mentioned: “It’s not intended to prevent people demonstrating per se, absolutely not.

“It’s not a restraint on free speech. It applies solely to engagement with authorities, as a result of we all know that there’ve been instances prior to now the place particular person extremist organisations have sought to reap the benefits of authorities patronage, cash and affect so as to advance their agenda.” He mentioned the aim of the new definition was to clarify that goverment “will keep these organisations at arm’s length so they can’t benefit from access to government and its funds.”

Mr Gove insisted groups would only be deemed extremist after “a patient assessment of the evidence” and if they showed “a consistent pattern of behaviour”.

But he did not rule out naming specific groups when he gives a statement to the Commons on the new definition later.

Mr Gove said an expert team of civil servants advised by academics would carry out a “very rigorous process of due diligence” to decide whether a group was extremist or not, with the final signoff from either the Home Secretary and Mr Gove himself.

The blacklisted groups will be barred from funding and prevented from meeting ministers and civil servants under the plans.

Mr Gove has inisted the new definition of extremism is necessary 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.