UK Home Secretary introduces new Counter Terrorism and Security Bill

A bulletin from England's Henry Jackson Society:

Following her speech on Monday of this week, in which she detailed much-needed additions to the UK's counter-terrorism strategy, Home Secretary Theresa May today unveiled the government's Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill before Parliament.

The wide range of the legislation is a resounding endorsement of the wide range of policy work consistently undertaken by The Henry Jackson Society, its newly launched Centre for the Response to Radicalisation and Terrorism, and the Student Rights project.

It's extremely heartening to see various aspects of our research and policy advice incorporated into the new Bill. Student Rights has documented and publicised the appearance of extremist speakers across UK campuses for the past five years. Now the government will put the onus on universities, schools and colleges to prevent extremists from entering their grounds. In just a few months, the CRT has released a host of publications on how to legislate against jihadists and extremist outfits in the UK. These recommendations - including confiscating the passports of likely jihadists and strenghtening Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures - are now written into the most important counter-terrorism bill of this government.

Of course, such far-reaching legislation must be accompanied by effective delivery. Many of the sectors now facing a legal responsibility to counter-radicalisation, including schools, universities and local councils, for example have long been identified by HJS as both vulnerable to extremism and, at times, reluctant to challenge it robustly. With your help, we will continue to challenge the presence of extremists in all areas of society and promote the right policies to fight them. This week's announcements are a huge step in the right direction and we are confident that our work will ensure we remain on track.