UK seeks to brand anyone who ‘undermines’ country as extremist

The UK government is seeking to broaden the definition of extremism to include anyone who “undermines” the country’s institutions and its values, according to a report in the Observer newspaper.

Leaked internal documents from the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities state that the definition could “frame a new, unified response to extremism”.

It lists several organisations which it considers would be “captured” by the definition, including the Muslim Council of Britain and Palestine Action. 

Civil rights groups have warned the move would “criminalise dissent”, and would significantly suppress freedom of expression.

The proposals were revealed after a week in which UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman described pro-Palestinian demonstrations in London as “hate marches”. 

Read more: UK seeks to brand anyone who ‘undermines’ country as extremist