Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to David Cameron’s speech in Australia, said:

“Labour has called for the Prime Minister to rethink the decisions made by the Government to weaken our country’s counter terror powers, including reinstating tried and tested powers that were scrapped with Control Orders and boosting the Prevent programme, which has been cut back by Theresa May.

“We will look carefully at any proposals the Prime Minister brings forward, though with half of the fighters who have gone to Syria having already returned, the Government should be introducing mandatory de-radicalisation programmes as a priority. Our border controls are simply not picking people up, and no new orders will change that. Only this week a suspect on bail managed to flee with his passport, reportedly to Syria.

“And much more should be done to prevent radicalisation in the first place. The Government cuts to community-led programmes mean those parents and community leaders desperate to stop young people from being taken in by the warped ideology and lies of ISIL feel they have no support.

“The Prime Minister would be well-advised to reinstate measures we know work, and we hope some of these changes will be in any proposed legislation.”

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