Monitoring extremism


The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act adopted by Parliament in February 2015 places a duty on specified public authorities — including schools, universities, NHS trusts and local councils — to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism. These authorities are required to set up procedures to identify and report individuals deemed sympathetic to terrorism or “extremism,” the latter defined as “vocal or active opposition” to “fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of difference faiths and beliefs”. 


Specific guidance for higher and further education institutions was subsequently published by the government given its concerns about radicalisation on campuses, with institutions expected to tightly control events involving external speakers, and to be vigilant about and share information on individuals holding “extremist” views or at risk of “radicalisation.” 


The UCU lecturers’ union campaigned against these new requirements given the onerous monitoring responsibilities it would place on college and university staff, and the difficulty in defining and identifying the “extremism” they are supposed to monitor, as well as the threats to “academic freedom” and freedom of speech that the obligations would engender.