Gove, Prevent and attacks on the right to protest

Matt Dobson

Tory levelling up secretary Micheal Gove made a brazen attack on democratic rights and civil liberties in the house of commons recently. 

Groups labelled as ‘extremist’, according to Gove, will be barred from meeting ministers, helping to shape public policy or seeking public funds. It is not a ban on organisations, not does it have any legal standing. But it does pose the question – who are the ex- tremists?

Gove mentioned some far-right groups like Patriotic Alternative, he also named the Muslim Association of Britain (a UK branch of the right-wing, pro-capitalist Muslim Brotherhood) and Cage (a advocate group which has campaigned for Muslims wrongly and illegally detained during the war on terror) as well as pro-Palestinian groups. 

The massive Gaza demonstrations in London, that the Tories were unable to force the Met Police to ban, cost of job of a Cabinet minister, Suella Braverman. Many on those demos would argue that Sunak’s support for the Israeli government’s slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza is a clear example of ‘extremism’. 

The Tories new definition of extremism is “the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance, that aims to: (1) negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others; or (2) undermine, overturn or replace the UK’s system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights; or intentionally create a permissive environment for others to achieve the results in (1) or (2).” 

Is Sunak’s attack on the right to strike under the anti-union minimum service legislation not aimed at ‘destroying the fundamental rights and freedoms’ of millions of workers to take strike action? Is that not a definition of extreme? 

heading for defeat 

This Tory nonsense will not prevent their defeat at a general election later this year. It does however come on the back of a recent document from Prevent, the official scheme to stop radicalisation, that mentions believing in socialism, communism and anti-fas- cism in a list of potential signs of ideologies leading to terrorism. 

The document is part of online Prevent awareness training for those covered by the duty to inform if they suspect radicalisation. That includes teachers and youth workers. 

Originally the Prevent strategy was the brainchild of New Labour who trailed it in 2006. The Tory government under Cameron then made a corner- stone of the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015. Despite devolved government and powers over policing, Police Scotland and the SNP/ Green government cooperate with it, and this must end. 

Prevent uses hypocritical and divisive stereotyping, particularly towards Muslims. But what is to stop say a mass strike movement or protests to demand the right to indyref 2 in the future from falling foul of the Prevent guidelines? 

Growing support for socialism reflects mass anger at the horrors of capitalism. From climate disaster to racism, war and economic crisis.

Socialist Party Scotland and Young Socialists actively oppose individual terrorism and indiscriminate attacks on civilians. Marxism has always counterposed mass working-class struggle as the most effective way of fighting for self-determination and socialism rather than the actions of armed groups or individuals carrying out attacks. 

The same cannot be said of the Tories and the British ruling class who to suit their interests have used brutal violence and terror to achieve their class objectives throughout history. 

Bans by the capitalist state on ideas and even organisations that socialists actively oppose, including fascist and racist and other right wing organisations, will only fuel support for their ideas. 

Socialists seek democratically to win authority for our ideas and win the majority for socialist transformation of society by taking up on the streets, workplaces, communities and at the ballot box the issues that working class and young people face. 

Mass action by workers and youth will defeat those reactionary ideas. Certainly not Tory politicians responsible for the horrendous conditions facing working class communities today. 

fuel 

The Tories and New Labour created the conditions that fuel reactionary right wing political Islam and jihadist groups by occupying Afghanistan and Iraq and backing Israel’s onslaught on the Palestinians. These actions have increased the likelihood of a terror attack. 

Sunak made his agenda clear when he reacted with accusations of extremism when the voters of Rochdale had the temerity to elect George Galloway as MP by standing as an anti-war candidate. 

Attacks on democratic rights by the ruling class cannot be treated as a single issue, but has to be linked with the struggle against austerity and the capitalist cost of living crisis. 

Most of all we need a new mass workers’ party based on the trade unions that can draw mass support from those disenfranchised over social conditions, Palestine, the climate and many other issues. 

A socialist alternative is needed. Capitalism is increasingly authoritarian and hell-bent on restricting democratic rights for the many who want to speak out against the horrors of this system.