Lucy Allan MP hits out at Government's pupil anti-terror strategy
A Shropshire MP has hit out in Parliament at the Government's controversial Prevent anti-terrorism strategy.
The scheme, which has come under fire from Telford MP Lucy Allan, is designed to reduce the risk of young people becoming embroiled in terrorism or being drawn to the far-right.
Since last summer Prevent has obliged teachers to refer to police pupils they suspect of engaging in some sort of terrorist activity or radical behaviour.
Ms Allan presented a Private Members Bill at Westminster Hall yesterday asking for an independent review of the strategy – but her calls were met with short shrift by security minister Dan Wallace.
Ms Allan said it was causing "increased levels of concern" in communities and that there was now a "level of disquiet that it would be wrong to ignore".
"Prevent as a concept, as a strategy to draw people away from terrorism, is not working," she said.
"The greatest difficulty that seems to be occurring with Prevent is that it is driving a wedge between authority and the community.
"The problem is the way in which communities most affected by Prevent are experiencing and perceiving it.
"Because for all its good intentions, if it's experienced by those whom it affects as punitive or intrusive it isn't going to be productive, it isn't going to have the desired effect."
She concluded her speech by saying the process was "destroying trust" in communities, calling for a "less heavy-handed" approach and an independent review.
But Mr Wallace said: "We have to find a delicate balance here, which is the balance between safety and security and our obligations to society, against some of the very extreme threats, and individuals that try and peddle that to our young people. I absolutely agree, we can always do more, and I am committed to do more, but ultimately Prevent is working.
"If I could only tell you the successes, I can tell you that we have saved lives and we are preventing the far right rising in other parts of the country and we are making sure that young people have a future. That's why I back Prevent, I'm passionate about it."
