Online guidance says ‘cultural nationalism’ could be a reason for referring someone for deradicalisation
Critics said people who held lawful, mainstream beliefs risked being caught in the Prevent definition of ‘cultural nationalism
Concern about mass migration is a “terrorist ideology” that requires intervention by the Government’s anti-radicalisation Prevent programme, according to official documents.
An online training course hosted on the Government’s website for Prevent lists “cultural nationalism” as a belief that could lead to an individual being referred to the deradicalisation scheme.
This encompasses a conviction that “Western culture is under threat from mass migration and a lack of integration by certain ethnic and cultural groups”, staff taking the course are told.
It is the latest example of officials, police and the courts appearing to restrict free speech.
In recent weeks, The Telegraph has disclosed that a pensioner was wrongly arrested for warning of anti-Semitism on Twitter, as well as highlighting the case of a man who was given a criminal sentence for burning the Koran.
The Prevent programme was the subject of a damning report two years ago and failed to stop Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer, who was referred to it on three separate occasions.
Free speech critics warned that the definition of “cultural nationalism” was too widely drawn and could, in theory, mean that even Sir Keir Starmer and Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, would fall foul for their past comments.
Others at risk of being labelled extremists could include Douglas Murray, the bestselling author, who has written extensively on migration, as well as Matthew Goodwin, the academic-turned-GB News broadcaster, campaigners said.
A Home Office spokesman said: “Prevent is not about restricting debate or free speech, but about protecting those susceptible to radicalisation.”
Lord Young, the general secretary of the Free Speech Union (FSU), has written to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, urging her to reconsider the classification urgently.
He claimed that anyone referred to Prevent could face “serious, long-lasting consequences” for their education, employment and public reputation.
Prevent aims to identify people at risk of turning to terrorism, who are then referred to the programme, where agencies work to divert them from radicalisation. The personal details of those referred are retained on Prevent databases for at least six years and duplicated across police and intelligence systems.
Schools, universities, hospitals and other public sector bodies have a legal duty to stop people from being drawn into terrorism. Each year, thousands of teachers, police officers, health workers and other staff undergo Prevent training.
Prevent’s official “refresher awareness” course, hosted on gov.uk, states that “cultural nationalism” is one of the most common “sub-categories of extreme Right-wing terrorist ideologies”, alongside white supremacism and white/ethno-nationalism.
In a letter to Ms Cooper, Lord Young said this was a “matter of serious concern”.
He said: “While not defined in law, nor subject to statutory constraint, the definition in the training course expands the scope of suspicion to include individuals whose views are entirely lawful but politically controversial.
“Now that ‘cultural nationalism’ has been classified as a subcategory of extreme Right-wing terrorist ideology, even mainstream, Right-of-centre beliefs risk being treated as ideologically suspect, despite falling well within the bounds of lawful expression.
The Telegraph: continue reading
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