- Action plan launched by government to strengthen social
cohesion across the country and tackle division
- New measures to tackle extremism, with a focus on protecting
institutions from extremist influence
- Focus on integration with firm expectations around people
learning and using English, respecting and upholding shared
values
- Historic adoption of a non-statutory definition of
anti-Muslim hostility, protecting people from unacceptable abuse
while safeguarding freedom of speech
Millions of families, friends and neighbours will feel
a stronger sense of community, unity and national pride
thanks to renewed efforts to stamp out extremism, hate and
division announced today (Monday 9 March).
Today the government is launching a rallying call for
action, setting out the first steps towards a more
connected, cohesive and resilient United Kingdom – a
place where neighbour continues to look out for neighbour and
people come together with a shared sense of values, pride, and
belonging.
The action plan follows decades of rapid change –
technological advancements, demographic change, local industries
collapsing, the increasing cost of living and the decline of
vital public services. This has caused a strain
on social cohesion. Bad actors, including from
abroad, have sought to stoke community tensions and
promote toxic division and extremist ideology in our communities.
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local
Government will tell the House of Commons
[please check against delivery]:
"Today, through the publication of Protecting What Matters, we
set out the first steps towards a more confident, cohesive, and
resilient United Kingdom. This plan is what patriotism means to
this government. We choose to celebrate our national successes
and historic achievements, we choose to come together in the best
of times and the worst of times, and we choose to take on those
who try to divide us."
This publication – Protecting What Matters – puts the emphasis on
healing divided communities, setting out clear expectations
around what it means to live together and integrate into society,
tackling those trying to subvert our shared values
and ultimately promoting pride, unity and
tolerance.
This comes as the latest statistics show that hate crime is
rising, with Jewish people
disproportionately more targeted by hate crime than any
other group.
To tackle antisemitism head on, the government is investing at
record levels to scale up security at synagogues and schools,
clamping down on antisemitic extremism, and rolling
out training on antisemitism in
the workplace.
Religious hate crimes targeted at Muslims are also at record
levels, with almost half of these crimes targeted towards the
Muslim community and many living in fear that they will be
targeted because of how they look or assumptions over where they
come from. This government has a duty to act but cannot
tackle something that has not been defined.
The government is taking the historic step of adopting a
non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility which makes it
clear what is unacceptable prejudice, discrimination and hatred
directed at Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim.
Crucially, this definition protects the fundamental right to
freedom of speech while protecting people
from unacceptable abuse and violence. A special representative on
anti-Muslim hostility will also be appointed to support action to
strengthen understanding, reporting and
response.
This sits alongside a new suite of measures to bring communities
across the country together:
- Tough action on extremism with stronger powers to shut down
charities promoting extremism and transformed
capability to disrupt extremists, including stopping hate
preachers entering the UK, and an annual State of Extremism
report.
- Clear expectations will be set around integration for people
looking to settle in the UK, focused on shared language,
local participation and respect for shared values. To
support this, the Government will look at how English is taught,
and if new technology can help more people can speak
the language confidently.
- A £500,000 investment in community-led school linking
projects will bring children from different backgrounds together,
helping them forge friendships and understand what they have in
common. And tougher oversight of home education – including the
first-ever mandatory register of children not in school – will
ensure no child misses out on the shared values and experiences
that bind communities together.
This all builds on the £5.8 billion committed to hundreds of
areas through the Pride in Place programme, with power put in the
hands of local people.
Notes to editors:
The full publication will be available on Gov.uk later today, and
there will also be an oral statement in the House of Commons by
Secretary of State around 5.30pm.
Case studies of incidents of anti-Muslim hostility can be
provided by the British Muslim Trust. For more information please
contact contact@britishmuslimtrust.co.uk
