Cameron questions PM on 'Hizb ut- Tahrir affiliated' schools

Wednesday, 25 November 2009 17:06

David Cameron, Leader of the Opposition, during Prime Minister’s Question Time today questioned the PM on the subject of public funds allegedly given to two Muslim schools that are said to have links to Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Cameron also touched on proscribing the group arguing that despite an ‘explicit promise’ by the former Prime Minister to ban HT, it remained active in the UK.

Referring to letters sent by the shadow minister for Children, Schools and Families, Michael Gove MP, to the Schools Secretary Ed Balls MP, Cameron asked the PM to assure MPs that the group had not received any public money from the Pathfinder fund.

The PM replied to say that the schools in question, run by the Islamic Shakhsiyah Foundation (ISF), had recently been inspected and that the inspection results would be closely studied. The PM did not answer on the question of public funds to ISF saying that without looking at the evidence he could not answer the question but that the letter sent by the shadow minister would be properly answered.

The PM refused to be drawn on the issue of proscribing HT arguing that any such decision should be ‘based on evidence looked at in detail and in the cold light of day’.

The PM also said that ‘The vast majority of Muslims in our country are part of the law abiding majority of this country. I do not want it to be said that those people who are citizens of this country who hold the Muslim faith are to be held responsible for acts of terrorism. Where there is abuse it will be investigated. In the case of Hizb –ut-Tahrir we have investigated it, we have looked at it. It is not a proscribed organization. If he [Cameron] has new evidence that should make us proscribe it we shall look at this again. As far as the two schools are concerned, they will be properly investigated and every argument he makes will be looked at closely.’

You can watch the proceedings on Democracy Live, here.

It is worth recalling that the shadow Home secretary, Chris Grayling, spoke of the Conservative Party’s determination to proscribe Hizb-ut-Tahrir in his speech at the party conference this year. While speaking of the assaults on civil liberties experienced under successive Labour governments the shadow Home secretary said (no irony intended, presumably) that the Conservative Party on coming to power would promptly ban HT.

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