Extreme misogyny to be treated as terrorism under new government plans

The home secretary has ordered a review of the UK's counter-extremism strategy.

Yvette Cooper has ordered a review of the UK's current counter-extremism approach to determine how best to tackle threats posed by harmful ideologies.

The review will look at hatred of women as one of the ideological trends that is gaining traction and poses a threat to the safety of the public.

It will also look at the rise of Islamist and far-right extremism in the UK, as well as wider ideological trends and the causes and conduct of the radicalisation of young people.

Speaking about the new analysis, Ms Cooper said there has been a rise in extremism "both online and on our streets" that "frays the very fabric of our communities and our democracy".

She added that any new strategy will look to "identify any gaps in existing policy which need to be addressed to crack down on those pushing harmful and hateful beliefs and violence".

A new counter-extremism strategy was promised in Labour's manifesto and is not the first time the government has considered misogyny as a form of extremism.

In recent years there has been concern around 'Incel culture' - an online movement of mainly young men who describe themselves as "involuntarily celibate" and blame women for their problems.

A mass shooting in Plymouth in 2021 by 22-year-old Jake Davison, who killed five people before fatally shooting himself, was linked to Incel ideology.

At the time no further policy action was taken, but incidents like that one, and also the rise of social media influencers such as Andrew Tate - a self-proclaimed misogynist - may have pushed the new government to think again.

More recently, around 460 people have so far appeared in magistrates' courts relating to the disorder sparked by misinformation surrounding the suspect in the Southport knife attack.

At least 72 people under the age of 18 are believed to have been charged.

Yvette Cooper added: "I have directed the Home Office to conduct a rapid analytical sprint on extremism, to map and monitor extremist trends, to understand the evidence about what works to disrupt and divert people away from extremist views, and to identify any gaps in existing policy which need to be addressed to crack down on those pushing harmful and hateful beliefs and violence.

"That work will underpin a new strategic approach to countering extremism from government, working closely with communities to build consensus and impetus for our plans."