Laws and Measures Preventing Terrorism in the UK: A Necessary Evil?

Prevent’s execution has become increasingly complicated. One major criticism of the Prevent strategy, proven throughout the research, is the almost streamlined focus on the Islamist terrorist threat and ideology, resulting in marginalization of certain communities, divisiveness within society and what are now known as ‘suspect communities.’ An inclusion of all forms of terrorist ideology within all levels of preventative work would allow for a wider-ranging support system and an eradication of significantly more terrorist threats. Right-wing extremist group National Action have already been proscribed as a terrorist organization under the TA 2000: a step in the right direction, and yet, the most recent Independent Review of Terrorism Legislation has shown 38% of Prevent referrals to be of a ‘mixed, unstable or unclear ideology’. Prevent must act as unbiased and impartial in its execution which requires cooperation from all strands and gradations and continual revision of policy to assist with this.