Twice as many far-right referrals to Prevent as Islamist cases

NOTE: This article was published on 6 November 2025Searchlight has argued before that the threat from far-right extremism in the UK now outstrips that coming from radical Islamists. Latest Home Office figures from the Prevent programme support that view. They reveal that the number of individuals referred to the programme for concerns over far-right extremism…

NOTE: This article was published on 6 November 2025
The latest far-right terror plot to come before the courts – Brogan Stewart, Christopher Ringrose and Marco Pitzettu jailed recently for plotting terrorist attacks on mosques and synagogues.

Searchlight has argued before that the threat from far-right extremism in the UK now outstrips that coming from radical Islamists. Latest Home Office figures from the Prevent programme support that view.

They reveal that the number of individuals referred to the programme for concerns over far-right extremism is more than double those flagged for Islamist radicalisation.

In the year to March 2025, 1,798 people were referred to Prevent over suspected extreme right-wing views – more than twice the 870 referrals linked to Islamist extremism.

Mainstreaming white nationalism

The total number of Prevent referrals reached 8,778, the highest since records began in 2015 and a 27% increase on the previous year.

While the largest share – 56% – still involved individuals with no clear ideological affiliation, the rise in far-right referrals reflects growing concern among counter-terrorism officials about the mainstreaming of white nationalist and accelerationist ideologies, particularly among young people.

Children aged 11 to 15 made up the largest age group referred, accounting for 36% of all cases.

Education sector

The education sector remained the primary source of referrals, followed by police and local authorities. Notably, 345 referrals involved children aged 10 or under.

The data follow the case of Axel Rudakubana, the 19-year-old responsible for the Southport dance studio murders in July 2024. Rudakubana had been referred to Prevent three times but was not escalated for further intervention, reportedly due to the absence of a clearly defined ideology.

Violent tendencies

The case has since prompted a review of how Prevent handles individuals with violent tendencies but ambiguous ideological leanings.

Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, the UK’s most senior counter-terrorism officer, said the figures “reflect the evolving nature of the threat,” adding that far-right ideologies are increasingly “intertwined with online subcultures, misogyny, and conspiracy theories.”


Alf Dubs

Lord Alf Dubs

Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.

Alf Dubs
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minister, and Kindertransport child

Professor Colin Holmes

Professor Colin Holmes
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Professor Colin Holmes
University of Sheffield

Nick Davies

Nick Davies

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Multi-award-winning investigative journalist and writer

Paul Nowak

Paul Nowak

The essence of trade unionism is solidarity, fairness and equality – for all workers – from all backgrounds. That’s why our fight against the far-right has always been part of our movement’s DNA. Searchlight is an incredibly important resource for trade unions and members to understand the contemporary tactics of far-right activity. Their work and intelligence gathering over the years have been incredibly insightful for the work we do, and how we fight the scourge of fascism.

Paul Nowak
TUC General Secretary

Peter Hain

Peter Hain, founder of the ANL and friend of Searchlight

British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.

Peter Hain
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minster

Paul Holborow

Paul Holborow

In the campaign against the National Front, Searchlight provided a rich and utterly reliable basis for much ANL propaganda – particularly with reference to the two leading NF figures, John Tyndall and Martin Webster. The appearance of Tyndall in full nazi uniform, drawn from the archives of Searchlight, was a key part of ANL propaganda, coupled with deeply damaging nazi quotes from Webster.

Paul Holborow
Founding member of the ANL and National Organiser 1977-81

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