Response: Government drive against extremism

Islamophobia will be targeted under a government drive after Theresa May pledged to stamp out all forms of extremist ideology.

Speaking after the attack near Finsbury Park Mosque in north London, the prime minister repeated her warning that there has been “far too much tolerance” of extremism.

“And that means extremism of any kind, including Islamophobia,” she said.

Mrs May raised the alarm over tolerance of extremism after the London Bridge attack earlier this month.

After the flurry of recent attacks, a review of counter-terrorism strategy will be launched to examine whether police and security services have the powers they need.

An uplift in the antiradicalisation programme Prevent, longer sentences, and measures to restrict the movements of suspects are proposed.

Mrs May also highlighted plans for a new commission for countering extremism.

Details of its work are yet to be outlined but the Conservative manifesto said it would “identify examples of extremism and expose them, to support the public sector and civil society, and help the government to identify policies to defeat extremism and promote pluralistic values”.

Lord Carlile, the former independent reviewer of terror legislation, said the body’s statutory status will mean it has “permanence, a high degree of independence, funding and status”.

Lord Carlile