May: UK Government will promote “British values”

Home Secretary Theresa May has said the Government will promote British values as part of new legislation intended to clamp down on radical groups and individuals.

Speaking in a television interview this morning, May said “British values” would be central to “one nation” Conservatism.

The new bill, expected to feature in the Conservative’s first Queen’s speech, is designed to tackle radical Islamic factions.

May told the Today programme: “What we’re talking about is the key values that underline our society and are being undermined by the extremists. Things like democracy, a belief in democracy, a belief in the rule of law, a belief in tolerance for other people, equality, an acceptance of other people’s faiths and religions.”

However the legislation would make it easier to ban any “extremist organisation” and hinder radical individuals – even if they have not broken any law.

May said: “One part of what we’re doing is the legislation which has the banning orders, the disruption orders, the ability to close premises and that will have very clearly within it... definitions of extremism.

“We’ve set out a definition of extremism at the moment but we’ll very clearly set out in the legislation how those banning orders will operate.”