Freedom of religious observance for all citizens is a fundamental principle of a free society; with people free to form religions and free to follow their own practices and beliefs provided they remain within the law. The Prime Minister outlined in his speech in Birmingham in July (https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/extremism-pm-speech) the profound contribution Muslims from all backgrounds and denominations make to our country, emphasizing that there is no contradiction between being a Muslim and being British and that Muslims are central to Britain's history and British life today.

We must distinguish between Islam and Islamist extremism. The Government has unequivocally condemned extremists like the murderers of Lee Rigby and the perpetrators of terrorism in France and Tunisia who purport to be acting in the name of Islam, but in fact are acting contrary to the teachings of this faith. It is important to recognise that mainstream Islamic scholarship and leadership in Britain has stressed Islam’s explicit opposition to terrorism, supported inter faith dialogue and social action, and contributed to discourses about active citizenship in Britain.

The Government is determined to defeat extremism in all its forms. We need to protect communities and safeguard individuals from the influence of extremists and build a partnership with communities to achieve it.

Department for Communities and Local Government