Government Adviser: Counter-Extremism Laws Still Needed

A legal framework is still needed to tackle extremism, the government’s former adviser on extremism said on Wednesday. Dame Sara Khan, independent adviser for social cohesion and resilience and former commissioner for countering extremism, said she believes designating extremist organisations under a legal framework would be more open and transparent than the government’s current plan. The remarks came after Communities Secretary Michael Gove unveiled the new official definition of extremism, which draws from a 2021 report that Dame Sara coauthored. Making the announcement in Parliament, the minister named five organisations which he characterised as neo-Nazi or Islamist, using parliamentary privilege, and said the government will assess them against the new definition of extremism....