The British Prime Minister has stressed that terrorism has changed and the country must reform its system for countering extremism. He made the remarks referring to last summer’s deadly attack in Southport that killed three children. There are different views on the nature, causes and solutions to the unrest. Officials and experts are trying to make sense of the violent demonstrations and riots that have continued in several cities. As the nature of terrorism has changed from traditional to modern, the British government is seeking to redefine the concept. This article examines Starmer’s counter-extremism policy, which has undergone a redefinition. It seems that the redefinition of terrorism is overdue.
Terrorism’s departure from its traditional form in Britain
Starmer’s counter-extremism policy has undergone fundamental changes in recent months. “It’s not what we would have usually thought of as terrorism when definitions were drawn up when guidelines were put in place, when the framework was put in place,” Keir Starmer told a Downing Street news conference. He added: “I think most people would say, looking at the facts of this case, it’s extreme violence, it’s clearly intended to terrorise, and I completely accept and understand that, and that is my view.”
Starmer’s counter-extremism policy
Starmer’s counter-extremism policy comes a day after 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana unexpectedly pleaded guilty in court to the murder of three young girls. He had previously referred to the Prevent programme, which is designed to counter extremism, three times. But at the same time, it was claimed that the man did not need to take counselling classes. Starmer announced that David Anderson had been appointed as the new commissioner of the Prevent programme to reform the system and create a more comprehensive approach to identifying threats.
Britain faces new and serious challenges in dealing with non-traditional threats.
The Prevent programme, implemented in recent years as the main tool for countering extremism in the UK, aims to identify and prevent individuals from becoming extremists. But recent attacks, including the Southport incident, indicate new and serious challenges in dealing with non-traditional threats that originate from the online space. Starmer stressed the need to investigate and prevent government agencies’ mistakes; to this end, the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has ordered an independent investigation into the incident.
Expert opinions on the causes of extremist riots in England
Experts blame Britain’s unprecedented riots on a combination of deep-rooted problems with immigration, online mischief, disinformation, extremism, police mismanagement and hot summer weather. Neil Basu, the former head of counter-terrorism policing, told the BBC that some of the violence during the riots “crossed the line into terrorism.” “I think we have seen serious acts of violence designed to cause terror to a section of our community,” he said. It seems Starmer’s counter-extremism policy needs a review. If there is no review of the policy, Britain’s security services will be failing to understand the new threats.
Foreign involvement in terror threats in the UK is likely.
Donna Jones, the Conservative politician and the UK’s top police commissioner, has faced criticism for saying that the protest groups “desire to protect Britain’s sovereignty” and “the need to uphold British values”. The problem is that there are significant numbers of people in the UK who are feeling frustrated and disillusioned. One of the biggest mistakes the police made was not to provide clarity to calm people down. Instead, what they are doing is trying to prevent the racial tensions that have arisen in the wake of these events. Some of the social media accounts that are fuelling the tensions are likely to be from hostile foreign countries such as Russia and China.
The failure of multiculturalism in the UK
Professor Matthew Goodwin, a pollster who specialises in public opinion, said the cause of the anti-immigration riots and protests goes beyond lies, disinformation and social media. “What you are witnessing in Britain today is the direct result of failed policies that have been imposed on the country for much of the last 30 years,” he said. These are deep-seated resentments that have been built over the past 20 to 30 years. These riots reflect ethnic conflicts that, in turn, indicate the failure of the policy of multiculturalism.
Major reforms in the British army to face new threats
As negotiations between the United States and Russia began on the future of the Ukraine war, the British defence secretary announced the entry into a new and threatening era. He also cited European concerns about being left out of the process. He stressed that the country’s army needed major reforms to face the security challenges ahead. Speaking at the Institute of Government in London, British Defense Secretary John Healey said: “The decisions that we make right now over the coming weeks will not only define the outcome of the conflict in Ukraine, but the security of our world for generations to come. And the nature of government means dealing with these challenges.”
Starmer’s inaction in redefining terrorism in the UK
One of Keir Starmer’s biggest challenges and big mistakes is that he labels anyone who protests as far-right. The transformation of terrorism from traditional to new forms has made it difficult for British authorities to deal with it. Starmer’s counter-extremism policy seeks to manage and prevent terrorism in its modern form. Whether he can succeed or not is unclear. The events of the past have highlighted the need for a new approach to terrorism. However, Starmer has so far failed to take effective action to redefine terrorism.
