Cameron To Crack Down On Preachers Of Hate

David Cameron is to attempt to launch a crackdown on the preachers of hate blamed by the Government for the extremism that led to the murder of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich.

The Prime Minister’s fightback will come with the launch of a taskforce to tackle all forms of radicalisation that can lead to violent extremism and terrorism.

The group will include the most senior members of the Cabinet, including Nick Clegg, George Osborne, Theresa May, Eric Pickles and Chris Grayling, as well the Muslim Foreign Office minister Baroness Warsi.

In tackling extremism, the task force will aim to produce initiatives on:

:: Disrupting extremist activity

:: Challenging poisonous narratives

:: Trends in radicalisation

:: Tackling radicalisation in institutions (mosques, madrassas, schools, colleges, universities and prisons)

:: Supporting faith and community leadership to build strong, integrated and united communities

Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Pickles, the Communities Secretary said: "Our answer to the extremists and preachers of hate is to speak out, to show them for what they are.

"That is why the Government's ‘integration’ strategy focuses on working with people of goodwill to marginalise and outflank the extremists – not only Islamist preachers of hate, but also their malevolent counter-point, the racist English Defence League.

"As we reflect on the events of this week, there is no doubt that more can and will be done by the Government to challenge radicalisation and extremism."

Mr Pickles also hit out at some broadcasters for giving publicity to extremists: "Politicians of all colours, and clerics of all mainstream faiths should challenge hatred and the politics of division.

“That means the public not standing idly by - refusing to listen to their sermons and refusing to accept their literature.

"That means broadcasters making a sensible editorial judgement not to give oxygen to their publicity.

"And that means councils not giving taxpayers’ money to organisations which promote segregation or shelter extremists."

But the coalition's strategy to counter Islamist extremism is failing, according to an outspoken intervention by the former Cabinet minister who ran the programme under the last government.

Hazel Blears, who as communities secretary led Labour's Prevent strategy, told the Observer that people vulnerable to extremist preachers were being spotted too late.

She said it had been a serious mistake to dismantle the policy of funding local authorities that have a population more than 5% Muslim, to help them curb radicalism by engaging and funding community groups, Islamic societies and mosques.