The authorities are planning to shut down many mosques which are used by extremists. The home secretary, Theresa May announced several measures of tackling Islamic extremists. These measures include requiring people who seek visas to enter the UK to sign a declaration stating that they will respect British values while they are in Britain.
Further on, it was also announced that all foreign religious workers, including imams will have to speak English. There will be a review of the application of Sharia courts due to the fears of women being oppressed.
Many Islamic groups have criticised these plans and have even said that Theresa May was gratifying Islamaphobia to which the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper responded that there was a “massive gap between rhetoric and reality.”
On questioned about these new measures, Theresa May replied, “This will make sure nobody unwittingly lends legitimacy to extremists, and will make it very clear that the government should engage with people directly and through their elected representatives- not just through self-appointed and unrepresentative community leaders.”
In response, the Muslim Council of Britain said, “The home secretary proposes a series of measures that are designed more to address the anxieties people have against Muslims and their religious life, rather than the scourge of terrorism itself. Talk of extremism in Tower Hamlets [in east London] and dangers of Sharia courts need to be borne out of real facts, not just rumours set by misinformed journalists. The evidence shows that extremism and radicalisation takes place outside of mosques, and often online.”
