The threat of far-right terrorism is overstated, according to Sir William Shawcross, who is leading an independent review of the UK government’s anti-extremism strategy Prevent. The leaked excerpts from Shawcross’s draft review instead recommend a renewed focus on Islamic extremism (which is already the primary focus of the programme).
This is no surprise. Shawcross, former head of the Charity Commission, has previously called Islam “one of the greatest, most terrifying problems of our future”. His controversial appointment prompted a mass boycott of the much-delayed review by both human rights groups and Muslim communities.
Even from such an obviously problematic reviewer, Shawcross’s conclusions are a startling denial of reality. The UK has experienced more far-right terror attacks and plots than any state in Europe. Around a third of domestic terror threats now come from the far Right, according to the head of MI5, who also said that children as young as 13 are being recruited by far-right extremists.
