Michael Gove says UK has 'problem' with Islamic extremists trying to impose views on children

Michael Gove has warned that Britain has a “problem” with Islamic extremists trying to impose their views on Muslim children.

The Communities Secretary labeled radicalisation an “ugly truth” that is not addressed due to worries of people being called Islamophobic.

In 2014 Mr Gove was education secretary when a number of schools in Brimingham were the targets of hardline Islamisation.

Writing the foreword to a new Policy Exchange report with former Home Office adviser Nick Timothy, they addressed the events, writing: “The notion that the events in Birmingham had nothing to do with extremism is as dangerous as it is false, since it conceals an ugly truth that too many prefer not to acknowledge.

"We have a problem in Britain with Islamist ideology and its adherents, who seek to impose their intolerant values on Muslim communities, including children, through nonviolent means including the capture of important institutions such as schools."

Mr Gove continued: "The fear of being branded Islamophobic has only made it more difficult to speak up about such extremism. There is a well-organised campaign that seeks to undermine our counter extremism work and the Government’s counter-radicalisation strategy, Prevent.

"Many of the key players in this campaign – who will no doubt repeat their demands for the scrapping of Prevent regardless of how it is fine-tuned – are also involved in undermining the truth about Trojan Horse. The common thread to their campaigning is the allegation of state-driven Islamophobia."

The pair also address what they call a “well organised campaign” to undermine efforts by the Government to counter radicalisation.