Controversial ‘anti-extremism’ advisers Lord Walney and Robin Simcox are set to leave their roles as the Home Office undertakes a major restructuring.
Both Conservative appointees were seen as controversial — Simcox due to his past work for think tanks accused of Islamophobia and Walney because of his comments on protestors, particularly pro-Palestinian.
Simcox is set to be replaced as the head of the Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE). He has held the role since March 2021, and his fixed term will end in July. The Home Office said it will announce a new commissioner in due course.
The department said the role of Independent Adviser on Political Violence and Disruption, held by Lord Walney, will come to an end. The CCE will take forward this work as part of its new strengthened remit.
The government has launched two open competitions for the role of Commissioner for Countering Extremism and the role of permanent Independent Prevent Commissioner.
Last month, Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed barrister David Anderson as independent Prevent commissioner on an interim basis amid criticism of the programme following the attacks in Southport.
Anderson has previously acknowledged problems with Prevent, including the concerns from the Muslim community about the programme.
The move distanced the government from the Prevent review conducted by the controversial William Shawcross under the previous administration. That review, which Simcox endorsed, advocated for increased focus on ‘Islamist extremism’ but was widely criticised and boycotted by many stakeholders.
Criticism of advisers
The decision is a departure from the previous Conservative government’s approach of picking individuals who wanted Prevent to focus more on Muslims. This shift in strategy is a key development in the ongoing debate about the best way to counter extremism.
The Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE) is intended to provide independent expert advice to the government on extremism but many accused it of focusing on Muslims. Last month, a report by Middle East Eye claimed the department had sought input on Prevent from anonymous far-right social media accounts.
Walney’s tenure as a government adviser on political violence was also contentious.
As a former member of Labour Friends of Israel, critics questioned his impartiality. He was accused of regularly criticising pro-Palestinian protesters and calling for stronger laws to protect defence firms and energy companies from demonstrations. In social media comments last week, Walney again advocated for limiting pro-Palestine protests.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis said on the new roles: “To continue our fight against extremism and terrorism in whatever form they take, we need expert advice and oversight. The role holders will be crucial in those efforts, and I look forward to working with the successful candidates.”
Here are comments on social media about the ousting of Walney and Simcox.
The Conservatives set up the CCE but did not formally respond to any of its reports or recommendations, and then shifted its role to focus on government policy and training, and oversight of Prevent
— Lizzie Dearden (@lizziedearden) February 14, 2025
There was massive underspending and little transparency https://t.co/lo6ZOcUWPj
