Boris Johnson appoints ex-Labour MP to probe ‘far-left infiltration’ of BLM and XR
John Woodcock to investigate ‘progressive extremism’ that ministers fear is fuelling violence at political protests
The government has appointed a member of the House of Lords to examine claims that far-left activists have “hijacked” the Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Extinction Rebellion (XR) movements.
John Woodcock - a former Labour MP who sits as an unaffiliated peer - will explore the fringes of both the far-left and far-right amid growing concern about activities “linked to political causes that fall below the traditional threshold of terrorism”, The Telegraph reports.
Woodcock has been tasked with leading the review after being appointed as the government’s independent adviser on political violence and disruption in November. He will report his findings and recommendations to Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Priti Patel this spring.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Announcing the new probe, Woodcock told The Telegraph that the UK must learn lessons from the storming of the US Capitol by far-right extremists last month. “We must be vigilant against a similar blind spot in Britain to the prospect of progressive extremism,” he said.
Woodcock pointed to incidents in the UK of left-wing causes “overstepping the mark into antisocial behaviour”, citing XR as a “particular” example.
However, there is “not an equivalence of threat between the far-left and the far-right” in Britain, added the peer, who says the latter poses a far greater problem.
Home Office data published in September showed that right-wing extremists now make up almost a fifth of terrorists in jail in England and Wales, rising from 33 in 2018-19 to 45 in the year to the end of last June.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Last year’s annual figures for the government’s Prevent scheme also showed a record number of referrals related to far-right extremism.
The new investigation into BLM and XR comes as Johnson faces criticism for his “war on woke”. In an article on Politico last month, former minister for culture and now Tory peer Ed Vaizey argued that the campaign is “counter-productive” and “pathetic”.
Chas Newkey-Burden has been part of The Week Digital team for more than a decade and a journalist for 25 years, starting out on the irreverent football weekly 90 Minutes, before moving to lifestyle magazines Loaded and Attitude. He was a columnist for The Big Issue and landed a world exclusive with David Beckham that became the weekly magazine’s bestselling issue. He now writes regularly for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, Metro, FourFourTwo and the i new site. He is also the author of a number of non-fiction books.
-
Magnificent Tudor castles and stately homes to visit this year
The Week Recommends The return of 'Wolf Hall' has sparked an uptick in visits to Britain's Tudor palaces
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
I'm a Celebrity 2024: 'utterly bereft of new ideas'?
Talking Point Coleen Rooney is the star attraction but latest iteration of reality show is a case of 'rinse and repeat'
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
The clown car cabinet
Opinion Even 'Little Marco' towers above his fellow nominees
By Mark Gimein Published
-
Will Donald Trump wreck the Brexit deal?
Today's Big Question President-elect's victory could help UK's reset with the EU, but a free-trade agreement with the US to dodge his threatened tariffs could hinder it
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is the next Tory leader up against?
Today's Big Question Kemi Badenoch or Robert Jenrick will have to unify warring factions and win back disillusioned voters – without alienating the centre ground
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Extremism is becoming more common among veterans and service members
Under the Radar Nearly 500 people arrested for extremist crimes between 2017 and 2023 had military backgrounds
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'The journalistic mission to follow the facts and deliver the truth must persist'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published