Stop ‘terrorism academies’ plead peers

Ministers have been urged by Labour to boost deradicalisation measures in a bid to prevent prisons becoming “academies of terrorism”.

Opposition spokesman Lord Falconer of Thoroton warned the failure to properly address the issue would “haunt this country for generations”.

Lord Falconer called for a more“driven and focused” approach from ministers to prevent young and vulnerable offenders being radicalised by other inmates. His call came as peers yesterday debated new laws to keep terrorists behind bars for longer and reform the monitoring of suspects under the Counter-terrorism and Sentencing Bill.

The bill, which has already cleared the Commons, includes a minimum 14-year jail term for the most dangerous terrorist offenders, who will also have to spend up to 25 years on licence after their release.

It also lowers the standard of proof required to impose Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (Tpims). The Home S ecretar y would need “reasonable grounds” for suspecting someone is, or has been, involved in terrorist activity to impose a Tpim, which can involve measures like an enforced curfew, tagging, or living away from a particular address or area.

The legislation follows terror attacks at Fishmongers’ Hall last year and in Streatham in February.

Lord Falconer, a former lord chancellor, said there needed to be “really tough sentencing for terrorists”.