‘We need our own plan to stop terrorism’ – mayor
GREATER Manchester’s mayor has called for the region to have its own programme to counter extremism and stop terrorism – instead of the government’s controversial Prevent scheme.
Andy Burnham visited the M.E.N. Media offices to talk about the fall-out from last Monday’s atrocity.
An investigation is now underway into how locally-born and raised Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi was able to ‘slip through the net’ and carry out the deadly suicide attack which killed 22 people and injured more than 100 others.
Mr Burnham, elected as the region’s first mayor last month, called for Prevent – a key part of the government’s counterterrorism strategy – to be scrapped last year when he was still shadow home secretary.
He said it had become ‘toxic’ and counter-productive within the Muslim community.
In an interview broadcast live on the M.E.N’s Facebook page, Mr Burnham said the region should develop and a new and improved anti-terrorism strategy of its own.
He said: “We want to use the incredible sense of togetherness that has developed in the last week to then develop a Greater Manchester approach to this issue of extremism.
“Of course we need an effective programme in all our communities to identify people who may at risk of radicalisation or who are engaging in extremist behaviour. But we want it to be an effective programme and one that works for us here.
“We need to re-focus the whole idea, I would say re-name it as well and get back to where we should be.
“And first and foremost, let’s be honest, place the emphasis on communities, all communities, to say ‘provide the information we need to keep everyone safe.’
“Then have clear protocols between those communities and the police and security so everyone knows what we need to do. And I think we could have something even more valuable here in Greater Manchester if we work that way.”
In the wide-ranging interview with M.E.N. political editor Jennifer Williams, Mr Burnham reiterated calls for more police officers Greater Manchester’s streets.
He confirmed a recruitment drive has already begun for officers, but said new recruits would number in their hundreds.
“It will not in any way cover the 2,000 police officers we have lost as a result of government cuts,” he added.
Mr Burnham also dismissed claims from home secretary Amber Rudd that police numbers were not the issue with regards to terror.
He said: “Of course police numbers are the issue. They are the first thing we think of when we ask ‘do we feel safe? Do we have enough resources to protect all communities?’
“We’re doing what we can to get more police out on the beat and we’re recruiting more.
“But we cannot continue to have government cuts on our funding.
“There is a general view in Greater Manchester that the cuts have gone too far.
“This will be a modest increase and if we were to get back to previous levels that would need government support.”