Fears government will use new extremist list to embarrass Labor

Michael Gove is preparing to unveil a new definition of extremism amid government unease about his plans.

The Politics of Jack and Sam Podcast discusses the big announcement Rishi SunakGovernment this week – aims to update and increase the number of groups classified as “extremist” and set new restrictions on their activities.

👉 Listen above, then click here to follow The Politics of Sam Jack wherever you get your podcasts 👈

The definitions will change under the plan due to be launched on Thursday – requiring cross-government sign-off.

The nine-year-old definition defined extremism as “overt or active opposition to British values”.

According to sources, the updated definition will be “promoting or advancing an ideology based on hatred, intolerance or violence, or undermining or overturning the rights or freedoms of others, or undermining democracy itself”.

Government sources confirmed this was the intention of the new language, but the exact wording has not yet been released.

Other ministers expressed caution about the plan, suggesting it was not yet clear Define who will and will not be coveredThere are concerns that other groups – such as trans rights campaigners, gender critical groups and even anti-House of Lords campaigners – could be affected by this new wider definition.

First, it will be the government that decides who is on the list and who is not.

Mr Gove Will reject these concerns and say anti-democratic provisions mean organizations such as trans rights groups will have no problem.

More political news from the sky:
Labor says it won’t bail out bankrupt council
Boris Johnson’s secret talks in Venezuela

The government intends to publish a list of groups classified as “extremist” who would then be banned from meeting ministers or other elected officials, receiving public funds or appointing individuals to government committees.

However, the guidance is non-statutory, meaning it does not give police or other law enforcement powers to deal with the issue. This is different from banning, which is the process of shutting down organizations that promote terrorism.

There are also fears the government will use the new extremist list to try to embarrass Labor, pointing out links between Labor figures and names on the government’s identified list. One government minister said Mr Gove was waging a “culture war” in this way.

Police may be given further powers at a later date to deal with behavior at marches and other protests.