Liberty: Government abandons facts with knee jerk counter-terror announcements

Liberty, the human rights organisations, has criticised new counter-terror measures announced by the Government today (Tuesday 21 January).

Grey Collier, Liberty advocacy director, said: “Today’s headline grabbing announcements show the Government’s counter-terror agenda is in chaos, with ministers abandoning facts in their desperation to be seen to take action. Lie detectors and harsher sentences are knee-jerk policies which are untested and continuing to introduce measures without review or evidence is questionable, at best.

“It’s clear from these announcements – and the series of embarrassing gaffes in recent weeks – that the Government’s counter-terror agenda must be subject to thorough independent review, and that must start with the Prevent Strategy. From labelling people who are concerned about climate change as extremists, to having to remove the reviewer of Prevent because of lack of impartiality, Prevent and the UK’s counter-terror agenda are now a serious threat not only to our civil liberties but to our safety.

“If you’re Muslim, or you’re someone of colour, you’re disproportionately affected and this is creating further alienation in our communities.”