Tory Shadow Home Secretary pledges again to immediately ban HT

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling’s speech to the Conservative party conference can be read here. Excerpts from his speech:

‘The security of our people and of our nation [is] another key [Home Office] responsibility

‘To take the lead in the battle against terrorism.

‘And the fight against an ideology of hate and violence.

‘An ideology that damages the reputation of decent, law abiding British Muslims as well as threatening life and limb.’

‘And let’s be clear. That ideology wants to destroy the civil liberties that make this country what it is. No Government should allow them to do so, and the way this Government has eroded those liberties is shameful and must be reversed.

‘I will immediately ban Hizb’ut Tahrir, and any other group that actively incites hatred and violence.

‘We also have extremists using video links to hold meetings with banned preachers of hate from overseas who urge violence against our society.

‘If I am Home Secretary the people who organise those meetings will be arrested and prosecuted.

‘Under this Government the extremists have been free to protest on our streets and incite violence and hatred in the most blatant ways.

‘We cannot and we will not allow this to continue.‘

Grayling’s remarks are rather ironic. He rightly complains that the government has ‘eroded’ our civil liberties in recent years and then goes on to say that if in power he will ‘immediately ban Hizb ut-Tahrir’! HT certainly have a self-defeating policy of advocating non-participation in our democratic process but they are an avowedly non-violent group. The Tory plan is foolish and draconian and will only lead to a increase Muslim resentment against the unwarranted governmental interference. And all due to wanting to look tough by pandering to the xenophobic sentiments of voters.