Sunak: I’ll treat anyone who ‘vilifies’ UK as extremists just like terrorists
THOSE who hate and ‘vilify’ the UK will be classed as ‘extremists’ akin to terrorists under proposals put forward by Rishi Sunak.
The former chancellor said he would extend the Government’s definition of ‘extremism’ to include those who attack British values and ‘our very existence’ if he becomes prime minister.
Mr Sunak also vowed to overhaul Britain’s deradicalisation programme Prevent, and to crack down on Islamist extremism.
he said there needs to be more focus on tackling Islamist extremists – who make up around 80 per cent of live counter-terrorism investigations and 68 per cent of all extremists in prison, but just 22 per cent of all Prevent referrals and channels.
he said last night: ‘There is no more important duty for a prime minister than keeping our country and our people safe.
‘Whether redoubling our efforts to tackle Islamist extremism or rooting out those who are vocal in their hatred of our country, I will do whatever it takes to fulfil that duty.’
Currently, extremism is defined as ‘vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs’.
But Mr Sunak would like to include the ‘vilification of the United Kingdom’ in the official definition.
his pledge to overhaul Prevent comes as the counter-terrorism scheme has faced criticism for failing to identify a succession of extremists who went on to commit murders, including Ali harbi Ali, who killed Tory MP Sir David Amess at a constituency surgery last year.
Mr Sunak promised to make these concerns a key focus of his, adding: ‘Britain is a beacon of freedom, tolerance and diversity. We must never let those who seek to undermine and destroy our way of life to succeed.’