Farron calls for Prevent strategy to be scrapped

The Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has again questioned the effectiveness of the Prevent strategy to tackle terrorism, and called for a new approach that engages better with Muslim communities in the UK.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four’s Today programme on 6 June, Farron said that the Prevent strategy did not work because it was seen as “toxic” and generated suspicion among Muslims.

“Even the Home Affairs Select Committee called it toxic," said Farron, "and David Anderson [a QC and independent reviewer of terrorism legislation] said it was something that was suspected by the communities it needed to be involved in.”