Prime Minister describes use of Prevent to ban Christian meetings as 'ludicrous'

Prime Minister David Cameron has said the use of Prevent to ban a Christian Union from meeting on college premises is "ludicrous", and called those making judgments to use their "common sense".

Prime Minister David Cameron has said the use of Prevent to ban a Christian Union from meeting on college premises is "ludicrous", and called those making judgments to use their "common sense".

The comments were made during Prime Minister’s Questions in response to Fiona Bruce MP, who queried whether the strategy was being misused.

In a consultation document in 2014, the government said the strategy was intended to deal with "extremism in all of its forms", highlighting threats from Islamist extremism and the extreme right, but not Christians.

Despite warnings from Christian Concern and a wide range of other groups that the strategy’s vague and sweeping definitions could target Christians rather than those it was intended for, the strategy was implemented last autumn.

'Ludicrous'

Now, those warnings appear to be a reality with the Sunday Times reporting that a Christian union has been barred from using college premises to hold prayer meetings and Bible studies.

Explaining the situation, Toni Coulton, the director of Festive, which supports Christians in further education and sixth-form colleges, said: "Senior management were not happy to have Christians meeting for prayer and fellowship and the reason they gave was because of the Prevent initiative."

Hearing of the event, Fiona Bruce asked the Prime Minister whether he agreed with her that "such action was never the purpose of a strategy intended to address terrorism and extremism?"

The Prime Minister responded: "Of course, what my friend says is right… the point she makes about the Prevent duty being misused: I haven’t heard of that exact example, but it’s clearly ludicrous, and people do need to exercise some common sense in making these judgements, because it’s quite clear that’s not what was intended."

Free resource

After the strategy's initial publication last October, Christian Concern released a free resource, for churches and individuals highlighting the threats these measures pose to Christian freedoms.

Student expelled over Facebook comments

Earlier this year the Christian Legal Centre saw a Christian university student expelled from his social work course for expressing the biblical view of marriage on his personal Facebook page.

Felix Ngole, who was studying for a Masters in social work at Sheffield University, was told by a 'Fitness to Practice' committee that he "may have caused offence to some individuals" and had "transgressed boundaries which are not deemed appropriate for someone entering the Social Work profession." His action would have an effect on his "ability to carry out a role as a Social Worker," the Committee said.

The university rejected Felix's appeal against the decision. The Christian Legal Centre is continuing to support him as he seeks further action.