Working together to tackle radicalisation

Tony Lloyd

Greater Manchester’s leaders have committed to work together with local people to build stronger, more cohesive communities and tackle extremist views and radicalisation.

Greater Manchester Combined Authority has agreed a Greater Manchester-wide multi-agency approach to monitoring and sharing work going on across the conurbation to listen to communities and make neighbourhoods safer and stronger.

Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “There is a lot of good work going on across Greater Manchester to build trust and empower communities to work with police, local authorities and other agencies to challenge extremism, keep our streets safe and build cohesive neighbourhoods. By taking a stronger, more consistent approach to monitoring and sharing best practice, we can build on this good work and also identify missed opportunities to protect vulnerable people from radicalisation and target those who prey on them.

“Today, Greater Manchester’s leaders have committed to that approach, highlighting once again that we are more than capable of taking control of our own destiny for the benefit of our citizens. We cannot afford to wait for the Government’s review of its Prevent agenda to be published – an agenda that local people tell us is alienating and damaging to community relations. Working in partnership with local people is the only way to tackle radicalisation.”

The GMCA report outlines strengthened governance arrangements, led by the Mayor and Leader of Bury Council, which will provide a Greater Manchester, multi-agency platform to working with local people and build resilient communities.