The new definition of extremism, published last month by Communities Secretary Michael Gove after the Prime Minister’s speech outside No. 10 Downing Street on this very subject, stifles free speech and clamps down on our civil liberties.

The redefinition of extremism comes in response to the weekly marches attended by hundreds of thousands of protesters of all colours, religions, and no religions demonstrating against their government’s support for the Israel’s indiscriminate bombings of Gaza.

The staunchly pro-Israel government had hoped the marches would eventually dissipate. However, the pro-ceasefire protests have continued relentlessly for six months, driven by outrage over the mounting number of Palestinian deaths.

According to the new definition: “Extremism is the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred, or intolerance that aims to negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others.”

Or the promotion of anything that “undermines, overturns, or replaces the UK’s system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights.” The definition further includes anything that would “intentionally create a permissive environment for others to achieve” the above aims.

However, who determines what constitutes a “permissive environment”? Moreover, how is intent measured? It is this deliberately vague, purposefully biased definition that aims only to suppress, disenfranchise, and ultimately outlaw Muslim bodies and pro-Palestine advocates.

Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International’s chief executive, labelled the expansion of the definition a “dangerous gimmick” that had come in the wake of protests calling for a ceasefire. Adding, “This dangerously sweeping approach to labelling groups and individuals’ ‘extremist’ is yet another smash and grab on our human rights by a government that has become a serial offender in this regard. This attempt to stigmatise legitimate, peaceful political activity is taking us further down the road towards authoritarianism.”

“In any democracy worth the name, non-violent political activity should be protected and even celebrated as a sign that a country respects human rights and differing opinions.”

Gove attempted to downplay the authoritarian nature of the redefinition, telling parliament that it would solely regulate government engagement and funding, leaving NGOs to make their own assessments. He made no mention of an appeals mechanism.

However, this reassurance appears misleading, particularly in light of Gove’s decision to withdraw funding from the much lauded Inter Faith Network (IFN) over a single trustee’s affiliation with the Muslim Council of Britain, an organisation that isn’t even included on the list.

The government’s decision to defund the IFN not only led to its closure but also raised concerns about a potential ripple effect of defunding by association among the 500-plus Muslim bodies affiliated with the Muslim Council of Britain.

The fear of defunding and discrediting harboured by hundreds of Muslim organisations following the government’s redefinition of extremism, is not experienced by any other faith communities. No other religious groups have been singled out for such measures, not even Hindutva groups mentioned in the Bloom Review and the William Shawcross review of Prevent.

For over a decade, Conservative governments have leveraged Islamophobic rhetoric and anti-Muslim policies to deflect from failed tenures. The government’s latest redefinition of extremism underscores this persistent reliance on anti-Muslim campaign tactics. A strategy they refuse to abandon even when warned they would fail to prevent the expected electoral washout.

Photo: The new definition of extremism, published last month by Communities Secretary Michael Gove, is an attempt to suppress free speech and crack down on pro-Palestinian and Muslim organizations prior to the upcoming general election. (Credit: Postwall/CC)

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