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Dangerous extremists intent on promoting extreme ideologies will be blocked from entering the UK as the government steps up action to protect the public.

Dangerous hate preachers spewing vile extremism in our communities could be blocked from entering the UK, the government yesterday announced.

A new taskforce has been set up as part of government action to clamp down on hate and protect the British public. Spanning expertise from the Home Office, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the taskforce will identify prominent extremists overseas who could pose a risk to public safety in the UK.

Hate preachers and extremists will be automatically referred to the Home Office for immigration action, including the cancellation or refusal of visas, should they attempt to travel to the UK. Information will be gathered using our embassy network and using open-source intelligence expertise.

The government will also work in communities across the UK to build a picture of prominent overseas extremists who intend to travel to this country.

UK-based organisations attempting to sponsor visas for dangerous individuals may also face having their sponsorship licence revoked, meaning they can no longer request visas.

By taking this more proactive approach, the government will be able to refuse more visas to dangerous individuals intent on spreading extremism, stopping them from entering the UK.

Home Secretary James Cleverly yesterday said:

The UK already has some of the most sophisticated mechanisms for stopping foreign extremists from entering the UK, but since 7 October 2023 it has become clear that we must do more.

That is why we are establishing a new joint taskforce with the FCDO and DLUHC to bolster our approach to tackling foreign extremists and prevent them coming to the UK to spread their vile narratives.

This work follows on from the Prime Minister’s speech on extremism and his commitment to act to prevent people from entering the country who seek to undermine our shared values.

Foreign Secretary David Cameron yesterday said:

It is easier than ever for extremists around the world to spread poisonous, extremist ideologies from afar.

It is therefore right that we use our international expertise and partnerships to fight back against those determined to sow division and to stop them coming to the UK, as we work to uphold the core British values of freedom, democracy, and respect for the rule of law.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat yesterday said:

There’s no place in the UK for foreign nationals who spread hate and promote extremist ideologies. This taskforce will deliver a step-change in our ability to identify these hateful individuals, and stop them from ever reaching our border.

We will not apologise for defending our country’s fundamental values and principles. This new taskforce will help to do exactly that.

To protect the public from extremists already in the country, a new dedicated reporting route will be launched across the Prevent network to report foreign nationals who are sowing division and spreading hate in communities to the Home Office, potentially having them removed from the country.

This will mean the government casts its net far and wide to identify anyone promoting extremist narratives and refer them for immigration action, working across organisations delivering on the ground in communities – including schools, colleges, universities, health settings, police forces and Local Authorities.

As the Prime Minister has said earlier in the year, on too many occasions recently our streets have been hijacked by small groups who are hostile to our values and have no respect for our democratic traditions. Yesterday’s announcement builds on the government’s commitment to tackle extremism following an unprecedented rise in antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, as well as protests outside MPs’ homes since 7th October 2023.