Written on 26 February
I gave a lecture yesterday at the London School of Economics about preventing extremism. The lecture looked at who we should and shouldn't work with and talk to as part of advancing this very difficult work.
I am a big believer in the power of speech and in using democratic processes to discuss, debate and challenge ideas and issues. That is why part of what I was saying focused on the need to challenge political correctness where it threatens to stifle debate.
Preventing extremism is a very difficult conversation to have, but we must have it in an open and frank way because it’s only that way that we’ll get to the solutions that we need. But if we are going to have these tough conversations they need to be rooted in an overriding sense of what is right and wrong. If we are clearer about our own values, about what is and is not acceptable we should all feel more confident taking on big issues, not tip toeing round the edges for fear of offending or upsetting people.
Setting those kind of dividing lines means that people can have the confidence to stand up for what they believe in and challenge issues that they find distasteful. It takes a great deal of courage to do that and where people are prepared to stand up I think it is part of my job to support them.