Ahead. ,. , ahead. Can i Ust Put On Record my thanks to ahead. Can ijUst Put On Record my thanks to dame ahead. Can ijUst Put On Record my thanks to dame zahra ahead. Can ijUst Put On Record my thanks to dame zahra khan, ahead. Can ijUst Put On Record my thanks to dame zahra khan, mark| thanks to dame zahra khan, mark rowley, for all the hard work they have done, and of course the Secretary Of State. While these will act as a guide for Civil Servant and ministers, can the sectors they explain what the thresholds are being applied by the new centre for excellence when compiling the lists, and also how this guidance will be applied against existing definitions in law of racism, incitement and intimidation, which are clearly all active right now, and guide our Security Services and our police when it comes to the application and upholding the rule of law. Im when it comes to the application and upholding the rule of law. Upholding the rule of law. Im very crateful to upholding the rule of law. Im very grateful to my upholding the rule of law. Im very grateful to my right upholding the rule of law. Im very grateful to my right honourable i grateful to my right honourable friend, who during her time in the home office initiated and took forward fantastic work in dealing with extremism and intolerance, and she is quite right that the definition does not impinge or alter the legal threshold for prosecution if people are inciting violence. Indeed, their arguments were looking ahead, but todays definition is not about changing the criminal law, it is about setting a threshold, which will be evidenced when we come to the organisations that we believe meet these bars, with evidence which everyone will see it makes a compelling case for the nature of the extremist ideology. The secretary the extremist ideology. The secretary of the extremist ideology. The Secretary Of State the extremist ideology. The Secretary Of State might be very unwise to have recently closed down the Interfaith Network which facilitated the kind of dialogue that he praised in the statement. He praised on the grounds that one of his 22 trustees is connected with the Muslim Council of britain. If an organisation finds it unjustly on the list that he proposes, will it have the opportunity to appeal against its inclusion there . Im against its inclusion there . Im. Rateful against its inclusion there . Im grateful to against its inclusion there . In grateful to the right honourable gentleman. It wasnt the case to be closed down the Interfaith Network. We ceased funding, and the Interfaith Network draws its funding for a variety of sources. It is the case will apply appropriate Due Diligence publish evidence, and if anyone believes ourjudgment is wrong, as in any case when a government acts, then the option of reviews available. We government acts, then the option of reviews available. Reviews available. We are going to ste awa reviews available. We are going to step away from reviews available. We are going to step away from the reviews available. We are going to step away from the house reviews available. We are going to step away from the house of reviews available. We are going to step away from the house of commons, where the Communities Secretary is taking questions from mps following his unveiling of the governments new definition of extremism. We have some Breaking News now. The Prime Minister has said the new definition of extremism will give the government what he called the tools that it will need to protect us against Extremist Activity. He was asked byjournalists what the point was of the definition without any statutory powers . The Prime Minister said, as i said on the steps of Downing Street a few weeks ago, there has been a rise in Extremist Activity that a stirring division, undermining our values, and liberal parliamentary democracy. Asked what he sees as the biggest Extremist Threat to the uk, mr sunak said, we have seen different groups try and undermine our parliamentary democracy, stir division and hate. As we were hearing there, in the house of commons, the Community Secretary, michael gove also listed the organisations he says are cause for concern under the extremism definition. They are the British National socialist movement, patriotically alternative, the british affiliate of the muslim brotherhood, fry ministersaid we will the Prime Minister said they will take action if appropriate. Lets remind yourself of the new definition. Under the new definition, extremism means the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance. That aims to either negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others, or to undermine the uks system of democracy and democratic rights, or again to intentionally create a Permit Environment for others to do that permissive environment for others to do that. We can turn to our political correspondent, rob watson, who was following events in the house with us. What did you make of the secretarys statement, especially his defence of the new definition . I especially his defence of the new definition . ,. , definition . I guess the way i would sum It U Definition . I guess the way i would sum it up is definition . I guess the way i would sum it up is that definition . I guess the way i would sum it up is that this definition . I guess the way i would sum it up is that this is definition . I guess the way i would sum it up is that this is far definition . I guess the way i would sum it up is that this is far more i sum it up is that this is far more evolution rather than a revolution in britains counterterrorism and Counter Extremism Strategy. The definition of what is extremism is only moderately different to what it was in 2011, and essentially the difference here it seems is that the government are saying, look, having identified when we finally get round to getting a list of groups and individuals that violate this definition and for the wrong side of it, we definitely will not be engaging with them. We wont be giving the money, we will be doing the kind of thing is that have been done before, mrs it is rather interesting that if you look at the response from the Opposition Labour Party on this issue, it was not a philosophical disagreement with the government, it was a scepticism, saying you had a definition in 2011 a country she was on, do you mean you have been carrying on talking to groups that you shouldnt be in the meantime . By and large, the reaction has not been some philosopher Offshore Disagreement philosophical disagreement, but interestingly in this we heard you get a flavour of flavour of some of the other concerns out there. Will this definition somehow disproportionately target muslim communities . We had the governments response there. It is about as not islam, and not muslims, we also heard. Free speech. But overall what we heard in this debate so far, it is not a philosophical disagreement, this is an evolution not revolution in British Government policy. It is more a certain scepticism out there as to whether this is going to make much difference. This is going to make much difference. , ~. , difference. Thank you for staying with us and difference. Thank you for staying with us and sharing difference. Thank you for staying with us and sharing your difference. Thank you for staying | with us and sharing your analysis. That is the bbc� s rob watson, joining us from westminster. We can now speak to the Chief Executive of hope not hate, the uks largest antiracism and anti extremism movement. What did you make of the statement by the secretary . It all seems slightly statement by the secretary . It all seems slightly underwhelming. It seems slightly underwhelming. It seems rushed, and it actually leaves more questions than it actually answers. We have stuff that is not different from what we had before, and it is just guidance for the government. I dont think we were expecting that from the announcement we were hearing on Downing Street ten days ago. The we were hearing on Downing Street ten days age ten days ago. The fry minister says this aives ten days ago. The fry minister says this gives the ten days ago. The fry minister says this gives the government ten days ago. The fry minister says this gives the government the ten days ago. The fry minister says| this gives the government the tools it needs to counter extremism, especially in the climate that we have in the moment . Be, it is not changing the law. It is only impacting central government, it is not impacting central government, it is no | ,. ,. Impacting central government, it is no i ,. ,. ,. ,. Impacting central government, it is no. ,y impacting central government, it is not impacting the police, any other ublic not impacting the police, any other public sector. Not impacting the police, any other public sector, it not impacting the police, any other public sector, it is not impacting the police, any other public sector, it is to not impacting the police, any other public sector, it is to say not impacting the police, any other public sector, it is to say who not impacting the police, any other public sector, it is to say who the l public sector, it is to say who the government can and cant speak to. The problem is, this is where concerns are, the words are fine, people would not object to the words that were there, but it is about who gets to decide what is undermining democracy . Is it about a wide protest outside parliament . I dont know. Is it about people marching outside a business . I think overnight we heard that the preferred choice for the anti Muslim Hatred adviser for the government has links to us anti muslim groups. It comes down to how you put into practice the words there. We dont have a lot of detail. The practice the words there. We dont have a lot of detail. Have a lot of detail. The adviser is not here to have a lot of detail. The adviser is not here to defend have a lot of detail. The adviser is not here to defend himself have a lot of detail. The adviser is| not here to defend himself against that claim. The government continues to make the point that with this definition, there will be a clear process, they will have to be evidence presented, ministers and officials will review this evidence before any groups or individuals are added to this list. For before any groups or individuals are added to this list. Added to this list. For counter extremism added to this list. For Counter Extremism Strategy added to this list. For Counter Extremism Strategy to added to this list. For Counter Extremism Strategy to work, | added to this list. For counter i extremism strategy to work, you added to this list. For Counter Extremism Strategy to work, you have to have by n. I think it is a missed opportunity. There was no consultation beforehand, there was no attempt to get bipartisan input into it, which i think would have been there. Well have a committee or people who we dont know who they are making the decision, and in the only way to address that is going to court, which is hugely expensive, and for individuals that probably is out of their reach. I think we have got to have a system which is transparent, you have to have a system that has by n, political and Community Buy in, because hit the vast majority of people who oppose issues and cant make decisions in secret rooms and expect people to be happy with it. The secret rooms and expect people to be happy with it happy with it. The government there sa in that happy with it. The government there saying that there happy with it. The government there saying that there will happy with it. The government there saying that there will be happy with it. The government there saying that there will be people happy with it. The government there saying that there will be people who | saying that there will be people who can challenge these decisions. The government is also continue to make the point that since the attacks on israel by hamas, we have seen a spike in both anti muslim and anti semitic attacks and incidents, there had to be a review of this kind for it to control the situation. Kind for it to control the situation. �. ,. , situation. Again, it does sound rushed. Situation. Again, it does sound rushed we situation. Again, it does sound rushed. We have situation. Again, it does sound rushed. We have four situation. Again, it does sound i rushed. We have four sentences. Situation. Again, it does sound rushed. We have four sentences. The definition has always been brief, though. Definition has always been brief, thou~h. , � , definition has always been brief, thou~h. , � ,. ,. , though. Sure. Lets take the example of antimuslim though. Sure. Lets take the example of antiMuslim Hatred. Though. Sure. Lets take the example of antiMuslim Hatred. Some though. Sure. Lets take the example of antiMuslim Hatred. Some of though. Sure. Lets take the example of antiMuslim Hatred. Some of the l of anti Muslim Hatred. Some of the language that is used over stirring up language that is used over stirring up language against muslims has come from quite extreme areas. Is that going to be covered . I dont know. They have rushed this out, and to be honest, it is hard to make a real assessment of it, because it leaves more questions than it answers. Itruihat more questions than it answers. What is the impact more questions than it answers. What is the impact of more questions than it answers. What is the impact of being more questions than it answers. What is the impact of being added to a list like this . I am not saying anything about your organisation, but i imagine for a lot of activist groups, being put on a list like this by the government, what kind of an impact does it have on your ability to operate . I an impact does it have on your ability to operate . Ability to operate . I would be surrised ability to operate . I would be surprised if ability to operate . I would be surprised if any ability to operate . I would be surprised if any of ability to operate . I would be surprised if any of the ability to operate . I would be surprised if any of the groups j ability to operate . I would be surprised if any of the groups they put on the list are receiving money from the government. It obviously makes an a record that these are extremist groups. Im not saying the government shouldnt have a strategy that identifies people or organisations they see as extremist, but i think it has to be done in a clear and transparent way, and there needs to be an opportunity to question it or to appeal it, not just to go to the high court. You and i cannot afford to go to the high court, so the idea that that is built into the system is not true. We need a proper strategy. It is a central role of government to protect its people, but it needs the buy in of people as well. Buy in of people as well. Thank you for oininr buy in of people as well. Thank you forjoining us buy in of people as well. Thank you forjoining us here buy in of people as well. Thank you forjoining us here on buy in of people as well. Thank you forjoining us here on bbc buy in of people as well. Thank you forjoining us here on bbc news, l buy in of people as well. Thank you i forjoining us here on bbc news, the Chief Executive of hope not hate. We can cross now to a former government adviser colin bloom, and we were speaking to you just before the secretary started to address the house, what did you make of his statement . Statement . Thought it was very measured statement . Thought it was very measured. It statement . Thought it was very measured. It was statement . Thought it was very measured. It was very statement . Thought it was very measured. It was very well measured. It was very well delivered, it is exactly what you would expect from a politician as polished and professional as michael gove. I dont think the angela rayner� s response was also very good and measured, and i think she made a lot of very excellent points, and probably the best point that she made was, why has it taken so long . One of my complaints is that this is a welcome move, a small move in the right direction, but it should have been done years ago. Better late than never, im glad this is where it is, and i hope this is the beginning of parliamentarians and government being a lot braver in taking steps to eradicate extremism in our midst. This taking steps to eradicate extremism in our midst in our midst. As we mentioned earlier, in our midst. As we mentioned earlier. The in our midst. As we mentioned earlier, the prime in our midst. As we mentioned earlier, the Prime Minister in our midst. As we mentioned| earlier, the Prime Minister was asked what was the point of a definition without statutory powers. What difference will this make . It what difference will this make . Ft will make a lot of difference in terms of Serv