Government plans to tackle radicalisation run counter to increased detention

12.00.00am GMT Wed 16th Apr 2008

Commenting on the Government's announcement of 300 new police officers to work on preventing radicalisation, Liberal Democrat Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Huhne said:

"Improving the relationship between the Police and ethnic minority communities where there is a risk of radicalisation is a worthy objective, but it runs wholly counter to the Government's heavy-handed approach of extending the period of detention without charge.

"There is also the question of whether this is actually new money, as it was previously announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review. It would be churlish to criticise it as a breach of election law.

"If this approach is going to be effective, the new officers will have to be recruited on the ground from the communities themselves, and not announced from on high by ministers."