(Wealden)
(Con): With the UK terror threat level now at severe following the
horrific attacks in Paris and Vienna by cowardly Islamic State
terrorists, the whole House joins the Prime Minister in heartfelt
solidarity with our French and Austrian allies. Does he agree that
here in the UK we must redouble our support for anti-extremism
programmes such as Prevent, and does he share my concerns about
UK-based TV channels such as the Islam Channel, which just this
week was fined by Ofcom for giving airtime to extremist preachers
who justify antisemitism, wife beating and female
genital mutilation?
The Prime Minister: Yes, my hon. Friend is absolutely right. We
stand shoulder to shoulder with France, as I have told President
Macron, and shoulder to shoulder with Austria, as I have told
Chancellor Kurz, in our joint war against this abominable
ideology. Together, we will defeat it.
Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con) [V]: My right hon. Friend and I
share similar libertarian views, and I guess that some of the
decisions he has taken for the country’s common good were
contrary to his personal creed and feelings. While those of us
with higher political morals than Captain Hindsight on the
Opposition Front Bench have sought to do our collective best
during recent times, what does my right hon. Friend believe are
the views regarding antisemitism, following the
recent Equality and Human Rights Commission report, that the
current Leader of the Opposition—a knight of the realm, no
less—holds now? Does my right hon. Friend believe that they are
any different from those the right hon. and learned Gentleman
displayed when serving the right hon. Member for Islington North
()?
The Prime Minister: The only comment I would make on all that was
that I was genuinely amazed that the leader of the Unite union
should make a remark of the kind that he did, and that the Labour
party should remain in receipt of funding from Unite and take no
steps to dissociate itself from that union after that remark. I
did find that absolutely astonishing.
