This essay, on Britain’s “Prevent” policy, was my Observer column this week. It was published 12 February 2023, under the headline “Prevent doesn’t stop radicalisation, and the Shawcross plan will just make it worse”. Which poses the greater threat: Islamist or far-right terror? That has become the focus of much of the debate around William Shawcross’s Review of Britain’s Prevent anti-terror strategy published last week. Most people with knowledge of the issue accept that while far-right terror is the fastest growing threat, Islamist terrorism remains the […]

Categories: Britain, Justice & Liberties, War on terror • Tags: academic freedom, censorship, counter-terror policing, deradicalisation, muslims, prevent, racism, radicalisation, shawcross review, surveillance, william showcross