MICHAEL Gove has said that the Government’s new definition of extremism will not curtail free speech and is about ensuring that groups espousing hateful views are not subsidised by taxpayers.
The Levelling-up Secretary told GB News: “There is absolutely nothing in this definition or any of the actions that we're undertaking that curtails free speech. In fact, it's vitally important that all of us uphold free speech.
“Indeed, some of the people who are extremists want to close down free debate in order to advance their agenda. And this definition is only about access to government money and to government platforms.
“So an organisation that is, after appropriate scrutiny, classified as extremist and one with which we will not deal, is still an organisation which is free to argue its case in the public square, it's just that we don't believe that taxpayers’ money should be used to subsidise that.”
Asked about which groups will be affected, in a discussion with Ellie Costello and Stephen Dixon, he continued: “It has to be driven by an ideology. It has to be consistent. It has to be seeking to negate the rights of others, it has to be an assault on our parliamentary democracy.
“There is a specificity there and also I think governments have a right to decide whom they will deal with, whom they will subsidise, and to be accountable for that decision to Parliament and at the ballot box.
“And there are of course, organisations and individuals as I say you are all you might disagree with, but we continue to respect their rights to be able to speak out giving users the hope of free speech exemplifies an approach towards that…it’s important to hear every side of the argument.”
On policing, he added: “I absolutely sympathise with the position that the police find themselves in. The already existing definition that we have was, it was argued, should be updated and made more precise by Mark Rowley before he became Met Commissioner.
“We are following in the direction that he set out. But you're right it is important to keep the law under review and I know that some very good work has been carried out by the former Labour MP John Woodcock in this area.
“John, now Lord Walney, has delivered a report to the Home Secretary. There are some recommendations in that that the Home Secretary is considering, which I hope will be able to help the police.”
