Green Party deputy leader Mothin Ali has been criticized for suggesting that fewer individuals should be referred to the government's anti-extremism scheme, known as Prevent. Ali stated that the program "sweeps too many innocent people into the security state," a comment made in response to figures indicating a record number of referrals to the counter-terror initiative.
A former Prevent counter-terror officer, Ghaffar Hussain, described Ali's remarks as "uninformed" and warned they could "hinder national security efforts." Hussain explained that the scheme is designed to support individuals who are innocent but at risk of extremist influence, emphasizing that security involves upstream interventions to prevent criminality.
A spokesperson for Reform UK also weighed in, asserting that Prevent is "unfit for purpose" and that the program prioritizes concerns about the "far-right" over Islamic extremism. The spokesperson added that Ali's own comments, which included stating Palestinians have a right to "fight back" after the October 7 attacks, have not led to his referral to Prevent, which they cited as evidence of the program's shortcomings.
Ali, who represents Leeds as a councillor, acknowledged that violent extremism is a serious threat but argued that involving more children in a counter-terrorism program is not the appropriate solution. He cited warnings from British Muslims that Prevent can be heavy-handed, undermine trust, and alienate communities. Ali suggested that counter-terrorism resources could be redirected to areas such as teaching, youth work, social work, and mental health support.
"We can't defeat hate and radicalisation by treating vulnerable children as security threats and making entire communities fear the state," Ali stated. He further cautioned that approaches which stigmatize communities and erode trust risk exacerbating the alienation that extremists exploit.
His comments follow the release of new Home Office figures showing a record 10,293 referrals were made to Prevent for 9,957 individuals in the year leading up to September. This represents a 39 percent increase from the previous 12 months, marking the highest number of referrals since the program's records began in 2015. Of these referrals, 8 percent (860) were related to concerns of Islamist extremism, while over 20 percent (more than 2,100) were concerning suspected right-wing extremism.
These figures and the subsequent debate occur more than two years after a critical official report concluded that Prevent had applied a "double standard," with officials misinterpreting or overlooking the role of Islamist ideology while prioritizing the counteraction of far-right activity.