Author Topic: Labour to accuse ministers of 'serious failure' on extremism  (Read 394 times)

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Offline EC

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Labour is to accuse the government of a "serious failure" to deal with the threat of extremism, in the wake of a row between two cabinet ministers.

Yvette Cooper will claim departments have failed to work together and anti-radicalisation funding has been cut.

David Cameron has vowed to get to the bottom of a spat between Theresa May and Michael Gove over the issue.

But Ms Cooper will say this is "missing the point" and there is no proper strategy for schools and communities.

Differences of opinion between the home secretary and education secretary, both seen as potential future Tory leaders, about how to deal with Islamic extremism were laid bare in a public row.

Allies of Mr Gove, who has long called for a hard line on fundamentalism arguing it can breed violence, criticised the home secretary, accusing her of being too soft in her approach.

The home secretary hit back by accusing the education department of losing control of the school system and failing to act when concerns were raised about Muslim schools in Birmingham at risk of being taken over by extremists.

The prime minister was then forced to step in after a briefing war between the ministers' respective advisers, instructing Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood to carry out an investigation into the row.
'Chaotic government'

In a speech on Saturday, Ms Cooper, the shadow home secretary, will say neither Mrs May nor Mr Gove has got to grips with the issue and claim there has been a lack of co-ordination across government, with the Department for Communities and Local Government being marginalised.

She will argue that reforms to schools in England pursued by Mr Gove, including the launch of nearly 200 free schools outside local authority control, have "made it harder" to deal with allegations of extremism.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27739044



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