A leaked report commissioned by Yvette Cooper in August has unveiled fresh concerns about extremism in the UK. The document, which was shared with the right-leaning think tank Policy Exchange, calls attention to ideologies such as Hindu nationalism, misogyny, and the "manosphere" as emerging breeding grounds for extremism. This rapid analytical sprint aims to reassess the challenges facing the nation and establish a new framework for combating extremism. The report, written by Paul Stott and Andrew Gilligan, also dismisses claims of "two-tier policing" as a "rightwing extremist narrative."
Conducted in response to last summer's riots, the report emphasizes the urgency of addressing various forms of extremism. It identifies Islamism and extreme right-wing ideologies as the most prominent threats today. However, Hindu nationalist extremism and Hindutva have been flagged as ideologies of concern due to their potential to incite violence and social division. The report also marks the emergence of the "manosphere" as a platform for spreading misogynistic and extremist right-wing content.
“Government should certainly be alarmed by, and should tackle, violence against women and other social harms – but they do not constitute extremism as defined up till now.” – Paul Stott and Andrew Gilligan
The report highlights Hindu nationalist extremism as an ideology promoting Hindu supremacy, with aims to transform India into an ethno-religious Hindu state. Hindutva is described as a political movement advocating for a monolithic Hindu Rastra or state in India. The report notes ongoing tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities in the UK, citing events in Leicester as examples of how disinformation can fuel offline actions.
“Hindu nationalist extremism is an extremist ideology that advocates for Hindu supremacy and seeks to transform India into an ethno-religious Hindu state.” – Report
“Hindutva is a political movement distinct from Hinduism which advocates for the hegemony of Indian Hindus and the establishment of a monolithic Hindu Rastra or state in India,” – Report
The report further examines the "manosphere," an online subculture rife with misogynistic content that sometimes incorporates extremist right-wing tropes. This area has been identified as a concerning incubator for extremist ideas.
“an online subculture called the ‘manosphere’ contains a significant amount of content directly focused on misogyny, and sometimes absorbs extremist rightwing tropes.” – Report
Despite its broad scope, the report has faced criticism. Neil Basu and Jonathan Hall KC argue that it encompasses too many areas, potentially overwhelming counter-extremism efforts. This could lead to missed opportunities in identifying truly dangerous individuals.
“This new approach risks swamping already-stretched counter-extremism interveners and counter-terror police with tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of new cases, making it more likely that dangerous people will be missed.” – Paul Stott and Andrew Gilligan
The report's findings have yet to receive ministerial approval. In defense of its comprehensive nature, an official spokesperson from the Home Office stated that the counter-extremism sprint was designed to thoroughly evaluate current challenges and set the groundwork for a future-proof strategy against extremism.
“The counter-extremism sprint sought to comprehensively assess the challenge facing our country and lay the foundations for a new approach to tackling extremism – so we can stop people being drawn towards hateful ideologies.” – Home Office spokesperson
“This includes tackling Islamism and extreme rightwing ideologies, which are the most prominent today.” – Home Office spokesperson