The new Prime Minister has made a major speech on terrorism, announcing a number of new measures to combat the threat within the UK.
The main points involve improvements in border security. But the possibility of a review on wire-tap evidence has been dangled before the public again, as well as an extension of the time police are allowed to hold suspects (the controversial ‘90-days’ legislation).
But the most interesting aspect of the speech is Brown’s promise of an extra £70 million of funding for communities to resist extremism locally.
Welcome as this is, the struggle only starts here. If the money goes via some of the people and organisations that the UK government has chosen to deal with in the past then it will create a greater problem by spreading this money around a bit. In the wake of 7/7 the UK government took advice on extremism from extremists. The question therefore is not how big a cheque-book the new Prime Minister has, but whether or not he’s got a new address book.
It's just not possible to wisely spend a sum that large "in the community". It would be far easier to always avoid splitting infinitives.
We may also wonder what the word "extra" is doing in there. How much is already being spent to resist extremism in these communities. We should be told.
When is the use of the term "communities" going to be challenged? Self-styled "community leaders" are often fringe agitators whose legitimacy is based on receiving a cheque from HMG. Official definition of a "minority community" as a tangible separate aggregate is a major part of the problem. It enforces and entrenches, often artificial,divisions.The Islamic trojan horse will be kept well fed by such ideological confusion.