An ex-anti-terror boss has berated Starmer for expanding the ‘terrorism’ label to include acts of pointless violence like the Stockport stabbings carried out by Axel Rudakubana.
Ex-Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu was right to do it – but for the wrong reason.
He said it would be a mistake to widen the definition of a terrorist, because some violent individuals would “revel” in it – and that’s the line news organisations like the BBC have taken.
They would have been more responsible – and more useful – if they had reported Mr Basu’s other line, which was that expanding the definition of terrorism to include pointless acts of violence like that of Rudakubana would only remove resources from the fight against existing – and genuine – terrorism threats.
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You have to scroll further down the article to see that Mr Basu agrees with what This Writer said yesterday (Tuesday, January 22, 2025) – that
the people the prime minister was pointing to were not terrorists but “violent individuals” who used “any ideology as an excuse for their violent actions”.
He said the threats from so-called Islamic State militants and far right extremists were on the rise, so broadening the terrorist definition would also divert attention from tackling organised groups.
He said, “Bad legislation is made in haste in response to shocking incidents,” and, “we need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences.” Individuals with a tendency toward random violence, he said, would love the idea of being designated terrorists.
Sure, Mr Basu’s comments are contradicted by Lord Carlile, who said lone attackers without a clear motive should be included in the definition of terrorists – but he’s wrong. They deserve a category of their own.
That way, they might receive the attention their crimes merit.
I think Mr Basu is entirely correct to suggest that a forthcoming inquiry will conclude that counter-extremism agencies did not share sufficient intelligence, and were underfunded, undertrained and “overwhelmed by demand”.
The answer is not to include him as another terrorist to be investigated by an already-overstretched anti-terror organisation; it is to create another unit to tackle such menaces.
Oh, but don’t tell me – that would be too expensive.
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Ex-anti-terror boss has berated Starmer for expanding the ‘terrorism’ label
An ex-anti-terror boss has berated Starmer for expanding the ‘terrorism’ label to include acts of pointless violence like the Stockport stabbings carried out by Axel Rudakubana.
Ex-Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu was right to do it – but for the wrong reason.
He said it would be a mistake to widen the definition of a terrorist, because some violent individuals would “revel” in it – and that’s the line news organisations like the BBC have taken.
They would have been more responsible – and more useful – if they had reported Mr Basu’s other line, which was that expanding the definition of terrorism to include pointless acts of violence like that of Rudakubana would only remove resources from the fight against existing – and genuine – terrorism threats.
Buy Cruel Britannia in print here. Buy the Cruel Britannia ebook here. Or just click on the image!
You have to scroll further down the article to see that Mr Basu agrees with what This Writer said yesterday (Tuesday, January 22, 2025) – that
He said, “Bad legislation is made in haste in response to shocking incidents,” and, “we need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences.” Individuals with a tendency toward random violence, he said, would love the idea of being designated terrorists.
Sure, Mr Basu’s comments are contradicted by Lord Carlile, who said lone attackers without a clear motive should be included in the definition of terrorists – but he’s wrong. They deserve a category of their own.
That way, they might receive the attention their crimes merit.
I think Mr Basu is entirely correct to suggest that a forthcoming inquiry will conclude that counter-extremism agencies did not share sufficient intelligence, and were underfunded, undertrained and “overwhelmed by demand”.
The answer is not to include him as another terrorist to be investigated by an already-overstretched anti-terror organisation; it is to create another unit to tackle such menaces.
Oh, but don’t tell me – that would be too expensive.
Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:
Be among the first to know what’s going on! Here are the ways to manage it:
1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (bottom right of the home page). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.
2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical
3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/
Join the Vox Political Facebook page.
4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com
5) Follow Vox Political writer Mike Sivier on BlueSky
6) Join the MeWe page at https://mewe.com/p-front/voxpolitical
7) Feel free to comment!
And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!
If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!
Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.
Cruel Britannia is available
in either print or eBook format here:
The Livingstone Presumption is available
in either print or eBook format here:
Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:
The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:
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