The news that security services have uncovered 13 planned terrorist attacks against our country in less than four years and, at any one time, there are 500 ongoing terror investigations is both shocking and disturbing.
We have seen the horrendous atrocities perpetrated by Islamist terrorists in France and Belgium in recent times and I know a lot of people have concerns that these attacks could happen over here. Our security service is the best in the world – which is why they have been able to foil planned terrorist attacks against our country following the 7/7 attacks which kill 52 people in London in 2005. But it is also important that we understand why these plans are taking place in the first place and where they are originating coming from.
We have all seen the horrors that the Islamic State is perpetrating against innocent people in Syria and Iraq. People are crucified, burnt alive and stoned to death on a regular basis but this has inspired, according to our authorities, over 800 people from Britain to join IS. As we set about destroying the Islamic State, how many trained fighters will be returning to England?
You may have seen in the news last week that a new study has looked into this question – where British Islamists are coming from. The report, which looked at all those British Islamists convicted of terrorism, showed that there was a link between terrorism and growing up in certain predominantly Muslim areas.
The report also found that one in ten of all Islamist terrorists in Britain were from just five council wards in Birmingham, with areas experiencing religious segregation at particular risk.
It is clear that there are serious problems with how communities integrate into society and the danger that this lack of integration can lead to terrorism.
That’s why, last week during Prime Minister’s Question Time, I raised this important issue in the House of Commons.
I was pleased with Prime Minister Theresa May’s response and she made it clear that this is an issue she takes seriously and that the government is doing all it can to tackle issues around integration, terrorism and extremism.
Whilst I was pleased with the Prime Minister’s response, I believe that it is also up to individuals to address this issue and integrate themselves into society. Community cohesion isn’t something that is easy for governments to control or legislate for – people should certainly be taking responsibility and doing more to make sure that they involve themselves in mainstream society. A strong sense of community is, after all, one of the things that makes our country such a wonderful place to live in.
Right after Prime Minister’s Question Time, we had the Budget – the first under Prime Minister Theresa May – and I was pleased to see some welcome funding for social care.
Over the next three years, an extra £2 billion will be made available to councils to ensure that the social care system is well supported. Alongside this, the government is also making a further £100 million available for up to 100 new triage projects at A&E hospitals in time for next winter.
On top of this, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced reforms that will transform how we prepare our young people for the world of work by introducing a new technical route into a career. T-Levels – a new technical qualification – will put vocational study on an equal footing with academic qualifications.
Before I became an MP, I was an engineer for nearly 20 years and so this is something I particularly welcome. These new T-Levels are one of the most ambitious reforms to our post-school education system for decades and I believe they will give young people the skills they need to secure high-paid and skilled jobs.
The aim of this Budget was clear: to make sure our country is fit and ready for when our country leaves the European Union. Next week we will see the next stage of the piece of legislation which will give the Prime Minister the power to invoke Article 50 so that we can begin that process of getting out of the EU.
I can assure you all that, despite what the House of Lords might want to do, I will be respecting the will of the British people and make sure our Prime Minister can fire the starting gun to begin the process of leaving the EU. The British people made a decision and it’s now for politicians to deliver.