CONTEST - Counter-terrorism strategy 2018

Rt.Hon.Sajid David MP - Home Secretary

On 4th June, the Home Secretary announced a revised Counter-Terrorism Strategy - referred to as CONTEST.   The speech making the announcement is HERE.

The revised strategy replaces the previous CONTEST and supersedes the Prevent Strategy, both published in 2011.  It is an updated and strengthened strategy containing 4 strands - Prevent, Pursue, Protect and Prepare. 

The strategy notes
that the UK faces several different terrorist threats but the threat from Islamist terrorism remains the foremost and most significant.  Currently, most Islamist terrorism in the UK is connected with Daesh. Its narrative has emerged as the main extremist ideology behind radicalisation in the UK.

Extreme right-wing terrorism is a growing threat.  Northern Ireland related terrorism remains a serious threat, particularly in Northern Ireland itself.

Links:

The Guardian 6th June - Anti-terrorism plans 'will make thoughtcrime a reality'

Liberty - Press release 4th June - Liberty responds to Government's new counter-terrorism strategy
The document indicates that further anti-terrorism legislation will be introduced.

Prime Minister's Office 9th June - Hostile States to face rapid and unified international response

Review:

There is an Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation.   The current post holder is Max Hill QC.  His reports are available via the Reviewer's website.

The previous Reviewer was David Anderson QC.  His website notes that there will be a “stocktake” of the implementation by MI5 and Counter-Terrorism Policing of the 126 recommendations that came out of the post-attack reviews and Operational Improvement Review completed last November.  I was the independent assessor of those reviews, and though they were all highly classified, I published my report on them in December."