Home Office Prevent review says more to do on Islamist extremism
A review commissioned by the Home Office into the government’s Prevent strategy says it has not done enough to tackle nonviolent Islamist extremism and is in need of major reform. Prevent puts public institutions such as schools and the police under a duty to identify people who may turn to extremism, so that they can be dissuaded. The review, led by William Shawcross, made 34 recommendations which the government has accepted. But there has been a strong response from Muslim and civil rights groups, who say the report is Islamophobic. More than 450 Muslim civil society groups and 100 leading figures boycotted the review and challenged the appointment of Shawcross because of his previous comments on Islam. The Muslim Council of Britain has issued a statement saying the review includes “McCarthyite blacklists” of Muslim organisations and individuals. The report names individuals and organisations said to be a threat but the MCB says the report stigmatises British Muslims, naming individuals who have condemned extremism and terrorism and even worked with the government to challenge the terrorist threat. It says a review of Prevent was needed, but a fight against terrorism should be rooted in evidence, not ideology. And Amnesty International strongly criticises the review. Ilyas Nagdee, Amnesty International UK’s racial justice director, said: “This review is riddled with biased thinking, errors, and plain anti-Muslim prejudice – frankly, the review has no legitimacy”.
Review author disturbed by prevalence of antisemitism
Jewish News says the report also claims that Prevent is not doing enough to understand and tackle antisemitism, with William Shawcross saying he was disturbed by its prevalence. It quotes the Home Secretary Suella Braverman promising to commit resources to improve understanding of ideologies that spread antisemitic narratives and to increase providers to deconstruct and dismantle extremist narratives and ideologies.
Church of England general synod debate on same sex marriage continues for another day
The Church of England’s parliament, the General Synod, spent five hours discussing same sex marriage and blessings yesterday in a painstaking process that has spilled over to today (Thursday). Bishops are proposing a continued ban on same sex marriage but the plan will allow blessings for same sex couples married in civil ceremonies. There are 28 amendments for debate and recorded votes on each one have shown the church is split. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, told synod: “We are not divided but we disagree, and that is very painful”. He gave short shrift to talk of a parliamentary rebellion forcing the church into line: “We should not be swayed on the issue by groups or lobbies or outsiders…. I have heard them over the last two weeks in Parliament and been told exactly what to do. I am not doing any of it”. Highlighted quotes of the debate are on our website here
There will be a zoom media briefing on the outcome of the same sex debate on Friday 10th Feb at 1200 – to join [email protected]
Calls to disestablish the CofE – our latest factsheet
The issue of same-sex marriage and the divisions it has caused within the church has led to calls from politicians for a rethink on establishment. Ben Bradshaw, the Labour MP for Exeter, for example, suggested in the Commons that “by continuing to exclude lesbian and gay people from its full rites, the church is no longer compatible with its established status, which confers the duty to serve the whole nation”. Read our factsheet explaining what it means to be the established church and a review of the calls to break the link. Written by Frank Cranmer, honorary Research Fellow at the Centre for Law & Religion UK
Christian Aid chair appeals for more UK government aid to South Sudan
The former Archbishop of York John Sentamu is urging the UK government to pledge more money for peace building in South Sudan, following the successful peace mission of three church leaders last weekend. Now chair of Christian Aid, he says the government cut aid to the country in July 2021 by 59 per cent, which meant their church led peace building programme had to close. Writing in The Times, he said the international community has a critical role to play and the UK government should “recommit funding and diplomatic support for the fragile peace process” including community level programmes.
Medieval synagogue discovered in Andalucia
The Guardian reports that archaeologists in the city of Utrera in southern Spain have rediscovered a rare medieval synagogue, one of only five such buildings to have survived the expulsion of Jews in 1492. The team discovered the Torah ark area and the prayer hall and charted its history as a hospital, home for abandoned children, disco and restaurant. It was built in the 1300s and the team suggest it survived because it was frequently re-purposed.
