THE threat from far-right terrorism is on the rise in Britain, MPs warned today, with extremists often seeking to join or recruit from the army and police. 

The Commons intelligence and security committee’s report also identifies a risk that existing policies allow members of extremist groups to join the military. 

The committee highlights several cases where members of far-right groups have been found within army ranks, including the arrest of four soldiers in 2017 for membership of proscribed group National Action. 

The committee was told that 19 army personnel had been referred to the government’s counter-terrorism Prevent programme by the MoD over “right-wing concern” between 2019 and 2020. 

Two Royal Navy officers, including one based on a Trident submarine, were also identified in March 2020 as members of Generation Identity, an international far-right group calling for racial segregation. Both were allowed to remain in the military. 

Nick Lowles of anti-fascist campaign Hope Not Hate told committee members his organisation had raised concerns about the two officers with authorities “at the highest level,” but “the navy didn’t take any action at all, even though it publicly said that it would.”

Asked whether the MoD has a policy on membership of far-right groups, officials told the committee that it “does not explicitly state which organisations a service person may be a member of, nor do they place limits on the nature of organisations that a service person may join.”

While officials added that extremist ideology is “completely at odds” with the “values” of the armed forces, MPs said they were concerned that the current policy was a “risky approach,” given the sensitive roles of many service personnel.”

Symon Hill of the Peace Pledge Union warned that the values of the military, such as the “belief in the power of violence, unquestioning obedience to authority and simplistic nationalism,” are all values “to which the far right can easily appeal.”  

Committee chair Dr Julian Lewis said threats from extreme right-wing terrorism in Britain were on an “upwards trajectory,” driven by the internet and populated by an increasing number of young people. 

It also raised concerns around vetting procedures for candidates joining the police.

“The lack of thorough background checks is a matter of concern,” MPs said, adding that the police must “closely scrutinise” the online activity of candidates when assessing their suitability.