The effectiveness of this country’s efforts to stop young Britons being attracted by the false lure of extremism is called into renewed question today by two worrying developments.
The first is the disclosure in a report by the Henry Jackson Society’s Student Rights project that the number of events at London universities involving radical speakers with potentially inflammatory views has risen, despite the introduction of legal duty requiring institutions to stop people from being drawn into terrorism.
The second is the publication of research showing that most of the public believe the “Prevent” strategy set up by ministers to counter jihadist ideology is failing.
Neither finding is encouraging on a day when the Prime Minister has announced an extra 1,500 armed police nationwide in response to the threat of a Paris- or Brussels- style terrorist attack happening here. Firing back when terrorists strike is necessary but stopping people joining their ranks in the first place is a far better solution. To achieve this, universities must contribute, particularly in London from where several former students, including “Jihadi John” Mohammed Emwazi, have gone on to commit or attempt terrorist outrages.
In response to the rise in radical speakers, institutions insist that adequate checks are being carried out, while citing the need to protect free speech and Britain’s tradition of intellectual inquiry.
This newspaper too believes in open debate and accepts that those with distasteful views should, in general, be allowed a platform, if only so that their flawed arguments can be exposed. But today’s report suggests that on too many occasions, the events hosted by universities were one-sided. That is unsatisfactory and potentially dangerous and must be addressed.
Beyond academia, further challenges remain to be tackled if the Government’s “Prevent” strategy is to overcome public doubts and achieve more success in the face of Islamic State social media propaganda.
Here, the apparent willingness of more Muslim families to alert the authorities over concerns about radicalisation offers much hope. Ministers undoubtedly have more to do. But ultimately, it is Britain’s people who must win this battle of ideas and stifle the vile intolerance of the terrorists.
London’s A-level task
The revelation today that inner London teenagers perform worse in gaining the top A-level grades than those elsewhere in the country is a surprising blot on this city’s impressive school performance.
Read More
The New Schools Network, which has uncovered this fact, points out that free schools do better but offers no other explanation as to why the students, who outscore their rivals when at GCSE, fall back after 16.
Teachers should take note, however. Their efforts in delivering outstanding results for younger children merit a gold star. Another awaits if they can bring similar success at A-level.
Saving the elephants
Despite greater awareness of the need to safeguard Africa’s elephants, these wondrous animals remain under grave threat from poachers.
Staggeringly, 100,000 have been killed for their ivory in the past three years.
The burning will follow a historic gathering of African leaders convened by Kenya in partnership with Space for Giants, the charity that campaigns to stop the illegal killing of elephants. We hope giant strides can be made to protect this most gracious creature.
