Liberty: Appointment of ‘biased’ Prevent reviewer beggars belief

Liberty has responded to the Government’s appointment of Lord Carlile to lead the independent review of Prevent.

The independent review was mandated under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act as a result of sustained advocacy from Liberty. The Act passed into law earlier this year.

Martha Spurrier, Liberty director, said: “It beggars belief the Government has appointed a Prevent reviewer who is on public record saying he is biased towards it.

“This confirms our worst fears about the Government’s lack of commitment to a root and branch assessment of Prevent.

“After a secretive appointment process, the Government has placed responsibility for the review in the hands of someone who gave Prevent the green light in the first place.

“This exercise should be an objective and thorough scrutiny of the very premise of the Prevent strategy – which stifles speech, spreads fear and distrust, and encourages discrimination. That will be impossible under this reviewer.

“This appointment will be a cause of dismay for communities whose lives are most damaged by Prevent legislation.”