The Government's new definition of extremism, announced by Communities Minister Michael Gove, is criticized for being unworkably broad and threatening freedom of expression.
Akiko Hart is the director of Liberty With all that is going on in the world, we need our leaders to be calm-headed, rational and making sensible decisions that bring us together as a society. The Government ’s new definition of extremism that is being announced today does precisely the opposite of that.The new definition, announced today by Communities Minister Michael Gove, is a cynical move from the Government that is using a moment of uncertainty to create further division in society.
Under the new definition, any group that falls under this wide umbrella would essentially be ‘blacklisted’ from talking to those in power or receiving state funding.The problem is this definition – capturing any group it deems as ‘undermining democracy’ - is so unworkably broad it threatens everyone’s right to express themselves freely.The wording is purposely wide and could inadvertently capture a whole host of other campaigners aside from those intended. That could be those worried about climate change to anti-war protester
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