UK universities are under threat from being targeted by extremist organisations but referrals from the sector to the controversial Prevent programme have been “strikingly low”, according to the Westminster government’s review of Prevent.
The review, conducted by William Shawcross, a former chair of the Charity Commission, concludes the scheme had repeatedly “apparently failed” to identify potential attackers.
Mr Shawcross raises issues with training, compliance and “disinformation” relating to Prevent in the UK university system, concluding: “It is clear that anti-Prevent narratives dominate the discourse about Prevent in British universities.”
The former journalist has argued counter-terrorism efforts have focused too heavily on the threat posed by right-wing extremists, neglecting Islamist terrorism, which he has said is still by far the greatest threat to the country.
