Home Secretary announces new counter-terrorism strategy

Last year, the UK was the victim of several sickening acts of terrorism that claimed the lives of 36 people and changed the lives of many more. These events led to the Prime Minister commissioning review of the counter-terrorism strategy, and this has now been published.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said: "Our security and intelligence agencies are, right now, handling over 500 live operations, they have 3,000 ‘subjects of interest’. And there are a further 20,000 people who have previously been investigated, so they may still pose a threat."

Recognising that the threats are evolving, the revised counter-terrorism strategy, known as CONTEST, will ensure that there will be no safe space for terrorist, and that intelligence will be shared with police and local authorities, and will work closer with international partners. There will also be longer prison sentences for those involved in terrorism, 

There will also be an increase in funding. Javid adds: "We’re giving counter-terrorism policing a £50 million increase in funding this year – to over three quarters of a billion pounds. And we’re recruiting over 1,900 additional staff across the security and intelligence agencies to improve our response still further.

"I want to thank communities for their continued vigilance and support that they provide and for the police in these difficult times."