Ministers vow to 'name and shame' extremists banned from government funding as ... trends now
Ministers are vowing to 'name and shame' extremists who are banned from government funding as part of a new crackdown.
Michael Gove said groups with an 'ideology' or 'pattern of behaviour' opposed to fundamental UK values - even if they do not support violence - will fall foul of the tighter rules.
He warned that it had become clear that Islamist extremists and the far-Right represented a 'real risk to the security of our citizens and our democracy'.
Unveiling a new definition of extremism in a round of interviews this morning, Mr Gove stressed that decisions would be taken by 'independent' civil servants, and would not affect free speech.
Instead it would identify groups that 'we in government think it would be inappropriate to fund or have contact with'.
However, critics have raised alarm that the label is too 'broad', with Tories voicing concern that opponents of radical gender ideologies and Christians could be caught by the arrangements.
Unveiling a new definition of extremism in a round of interviews this morning, Michael Gove stressed that decisions would be taken by 'independent' civil servants, and would not affect free speech
Pro-Palestinian activists on a National March for Palestine in London on December 9, 2023. Groups meeting the multi-pronged definition – even if they are non-violent – will be banned from receiving taxpayers' money
Mr Gove told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he wanted to address 'errors of the past' where government money had gone to extremist groups.
'This is simply about saying this is an organisation that we in government think it would be inappropriate to fund or have contact with,' he said.
Groups meeting the multi-pronged definition – even if they are non-violent – will be banned from receiving taxpayers' money and from contact with ministers or senior civil servants. It will also apply to the honours system and public appointments.
