, the co-leader of the Green
Party, has slammed the Government for refusing to publish a
report into the foreign funding of terrorism, and for a 'vague'
statement[1] they've released on the issue.
Lucas, who has been pressing the Government to release the report
this week, is asking for the report to be made available for
party leaders like herself to read - rather than being hidden
behind the privacy of the Privy Council.
The statement from the Home Secretary on the report was released
at exactly the same time today as a response to Lucas' latest
Parliamentary Question on the issue. [2]
said:
"The Government's refusal to publish this report, and this
utterly vague statement, are completely unacceptable. The
statement gives absolutely no clue as to which countries foreign
funding for extremism originates from - leaving the Government
open to further allegations of refusing to expose the role of
Saudi Arabian money in terrorism in the UK.
"The Government accept that foreign funding is a significant
source of income for some extremist groups here in Britain - but
they won't say in public where that money is coming from. It's
not good enough to simply let Privvy councillors see this report
- because such a rule excludes party leaders like myself who are
trying to hold this Government to account on this issue and shine
a spotlight on the deep complicity between Whitehall and Riyadh."
ENDS
Contact: Matthew Butcher on 07885 459
904 or clucasmedia@parliament.uk
[1] http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-07-12/HCWS39/
[2] Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant
to the Answer of 3 July 2017 to Question 1467, when the report of
the review into the funding of Islamist extremism was (a)
finalised and (b) submitted to ministers; and from which external
sources advice is being provided to ministers on publication of
the report. (2650)
Tabled on: 03 July 2017
Answer:
:
The Government’s review of funding for Islamist extremism in the
UK was completed and reported to the Home Secretary and the Prime
Minister in 2016. Ministers received advice on publication of the
report from the Civil Service.
