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Joshua Christie

Assessing the UK's Updated Extremism Legislation

The newly elected Labour government will now treat misogyny as a form of extremism, according to the Home Office. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced a new strategy to combat extremism, focusing on those “pushing harmful and hateful beliefs”, including extreme misogyny. A subsequent rapid review of the UK’s counter-extremism strategy has been commissioned to identify gaps in the system to tackle extremist ideologies which will inform a new approach addressing threats posed by harmful ideologies online and offline.


This review will class misogyny as one of the  “ideological trends” that has gained traction, along with “Islamist and far-right extremism”, whilst also examining the causes and conduct of the radicalisation of young people. Secretary Cooper emphasised the need to, firstly, “map and monitor extremist trends" to divert people away from them and, secondly, to "identify any gaps in existing policy” which leave the country exposed to hateful, violent, and anti-democratic activities. Expected to be completed by October, the review is part of a series of policy updates promised by Labour to modernise the counter-extremism strategy and respond to evolving threats across the UK.


The Home Secretary noted a rise in extremism "both online and on our streets", which she believes undermines “our communities and our democracy". Criticising the outgoing Conservative government’s counter-extremism strategy as out of date, Cooper believes the review will help deliver on Labour’s manifesto promise of preventing people from being drawn towards hateful and extremist ideologies. This comes after a decade of warnings from law enforcement  and former government advisers about the need to address  rising  extremism and the proliferation of dangerous material online.


However, the move has sparked criticism. The previous Tory government had redefined extremism as that which aims to "negate or destroy the fundamental rights” of others, with some fearing that the inclusion of misogyny by the review, threatens free speech. Journalist Peter Lloyd, author of "Stand by Your Manhood," branded the policy a "sexist move" and an "Orwellian attack” on freedom of speech during a debate on GB News, arguing instead that focus on terrorism should take priority over the influence of individual figures such as Andrew Tate.


Whilst critics might  see the review as a proxy for action,  Labour  points to no new Counter Extremism Strategy  being issued since 2015. Furthermore, rising concerns about “Incel Culture” - an online movement of mainly young men who describe themselves as "involuntarily celibate" and blame women for their problems - have been increasingly linked to violence. For example, the perpetrator of the mass shooting which killed five people in Plymouth in 2021, was linked to Incel ideology. At the time no further policy action was taken, but incidents like that one, and also the rise of social media influencers such as Andrew Tate - self-proclaimed “misogynist” - have prompted the current government’s renewed focus.


Addressing concerns that treating misogyny as extremism could criminalise free speech, Home Office minister Jess Phillips told LBC that “the same test” applied to far-right extremism and Islamism would be used. She stated that while “people can hold views about women,” it's crucial not to ignore the “growing threat” of online misogyny. Phillips, the MP for Birmingham Yardley, who has faced online abuse, argued that social media companies “are undoubtedly going to have to be part of the solution” and stressed the need for robust regulation through the upcoming online safety bill.


Last week, Dame Sara Khan, a former independent adviser on social cohesion, criticised the Tory government for leaving the UK vulnerable to far-right violence by ignoring warnings and fueling culture wars. She told the Guardian, “The writing was clearly on the wall. These extremist threats are worsening, and our country is woefully unprepared,” adding that gaps in legislation allow extremists to act “with impunity.”


The context of Labour’s new counter-extremism strategy comes amidst far-right riots across England sparked by disinformation about the stabbings in Southport that killed three girls. At the time of writing, 460 people had appeared in magistrates' courts in connection with the disorder, including at least 72 minors. Some individuals also faced charges for publishing material that incited the violence, such as stirring up racial hatred or sending grossly offensive messages.


Labour’s counter-extremism strategy, including on misogyny, aims to deliver on the government’s manifesto commitment of preventing people being drawn towards hateful ideologies and avoid future repeats of the far-right violence in the aftermath of the Southport killings. Cooper believes “That work will underpin a new strategic approach to countering extremism from government, working closely with communities to build consensus and impetus for our plans.” This initiative is part of a broader set of legislative changes signalling that the U.K. is entering a landmark period of legal transformation in areas such as extremism, online safety, employment law, and immigration.


Image by Home Office via Wikimedia Commons

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