David Anderson QC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, has expressed concerns about the Government’s proposed Counter Extremism Bill and its impact on freedom of speech.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4 at the end of December 2016 Mr Anderson cautioned that the vague definition of extremism would lead to police investigations of people who have no connections to terrorism. He said:

"I think silence coerced by law … is a very dangerous business, particularly when you are looking at something as vague as extremism.

“I've not met anyone who can really define it in a satisfactory way.

"There's talk of British values, people who oppose diversity, democracy, the rule of law, tolerance. We can all think of people, I'm sure, we would love to see silenced in one way or the other, preachers of hate, of whatever kind.

"I think the trouble with rules like that is that all sorts of people are going, in principle, to be subject to them. People are going to complain about neighbours, they're going to complain about people they work with, the police are going to feel they have to investigate all sorts of people who are miles away from being terrorists, but may just practise religion in a conservative way, or may have eccentric political views.”

Mr Anderson, who steps down from his role in February, concluded that

"To start applying the force of the law to people who oppose certain values, I think, is a really difficult and dangerous line to go down,"

David Anderson’s comments highlight the flaws and potentially serious implications of the Government’s approach and CARE welcomes his intervention. The proposed Counter Extremism Bill has not yet been published, and we urge the Government to pay heed to warnings from experts like Mr Anderson and others and think again.

You can listen to the full interview on the BBC website here.