Far-right circumstances referred to counterterror programme Prevent are double the quantity referred for Islamist extremism, new figures present | EUROtoday

More right-wing extremists have been referred to the federal government’s counterterrorism programme Prevent than Islamist extremists final 12 months, as new figures present that referrals have reached a document excessive.

There have been 8,778 referrals of people to the federal government’s anti-extremism scheme within the 12 months to March 2025, Home Office figures present.

This is up 27 per cent on the earlier 12 months, and is the best variety of referrals recorded for the reason that present information sequence started in April 2015.

Concerns over excessive right-wing exercise accounted for 21 per cent (1,798) of the referrals, in contrast with 10 per cent (870) regarding Islamist extremism.

The proportion of referrals regarding right-wing extremism elevated barely 12 months on 12 months, from 19 to 21 per cent, whereas the proportion regarding Islamist extremism fell from 13 to 10 per cent.

However, referrals within the “no ideology” class made up the biggest proportion, with 4,917 referrals, accounting for 56 per cent of circumstances. Only 7 per cent of those circumstances have been deemed appropriate for additional intervention by Prevent.

Prevent is the federal government’s anti-extremism scheme and is designed to divert folks from turning into concerned in terrorism.

Counterterrorism officers stated earlier this week that there had been a major enhance in referrals for the reason that murders at a youngsters’s dance class in Southport in July 2024.

The attacker in that incident, Axel Rudakubana, was referred to Prevent thrice, however his case was closed as a result of a scarcity of distinct ideology. A overview later discovered there was adequate info to refer him to a panel for additional evaluation.

The figures come as Britain’s most senior counterterrorism officer known as this week for a rise within the capability of psychological well being providers to assist handle the rising variety of referrals involving people with no clear ideology.

Assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor stated that “counterterrorism policing cannot take on everything”. He pointed to a “very significant increase in the volume of people either with mixed ideologies, no clear ideology, or very complex [problems]” of their investigations.

Mr Taylor warned that there’s not sufficient capability to assist such people, including: “I don’t believe we have the capacity in the system to deal with the complexities that people are displaying that are coming into our purview, so through Prevent or other means.

“So, I do think the capacity needs increasing. I do think the system needs strengthening, and it takes that whole approach, so that we can stop people being drawn into terrorism in the first instance. And that is really important when it comes to mental health; that requires some very specialist skills.”

Responding to the figures, David Anderson, a crossbench peer who served because the UK’s impartial reviewer of terrorism laws from 2011 to 2017, stated: “Prevent is the canary in the coalmine. These figures show that established ideologies are being joined by crude but potentially deadly belief systems, such as a nihilistic fascination with extreme violence.

“They also point to the capacity of terrorist movements to exploit mental ill health and neurodiversity in the young.”

The information, revealed on Thursday, additionally confirmed that 4 in 10 referrals concerned 11- to 15-year-olds, who made up the biggest proportion with 3,192 circumstances, adopted by 16- to 17-year-olds, who accounted for 1,178 circumstances. A complete of 345 youngsters referred have been aged 10 and below.

Just over a 3rd of individuals flagged to the programme had at the very least one psychological well being or neurodiversity situation, the figures present.

Only 17 per cent of circumstances referred to Prevent final 12 months have been adopted by the scheme for additional intervention. Following preliminary screening and evaluation, circumstances deemed prone to radicalisation could also be handed to a multi-agency “Channel panel”. Chaired by native authorities, these panels decide the extent of an individual’s susceptibility to radicalisation, and whether or not a tailor-made package deal of help is critical to handle that threat.

Of the 8,778 referrals made to Prevent within the 12 months to March, 1,727 people have been mentioned by a Channel panel and 1,472 have been adopted as Channel circumstances for additional help.

Alex Carlile, additionally a crossbench peer, who served because the impartial reviewer of terrorism laws between 2001 and 2011, stated the figures are “unsurprising”, including that it’s essential that Channel panel assessments observe a constant methodology to keep away from “unnecessary” Prevent involvement, significantly in respect of youngsters.

He instructed The Independent: “They [the figures] reflect increased concern about about potentially violent political extremism, which inevitably results in more referrals.”

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