Defending Democracy Taskforce

Lord Stirrup Excerpts

Monday 6th January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I pay tribute to my noble friend’s experience in this area when he held the post in the previous Government. We will keep under examination the impact of the changes in Syria. We are doing that as a whole in terms of geopolitical responses and also in terms of individuals who are leaving Syria or staying in Syria. We need to make an assessment of that. It is very early days. We will continue to monitor that, and I will take on board the points that my noble friend mentioned.

[Lord Stirrup (CB)]

My Lords, in regard to countering radicalisation, what discussions are the Government having with United States authorities to learn any relevant lessons from the recent dreadful events in New Orleans?

[Lord Hanson of Flint (Lab)]

I say on behalf of the Government that we condemn the events in New Orleans and, indeed, the events that took place in Germany over the period. Those types of events can happen any time, any place, anywhere. That is why it is extremely important that we use the basis of the Five Eyes to support that intelligence-led operation and look at how we monitor and intervene in potential terrorist activity and track it. We also need to look at co-operation to identify the reasons why people are being radicalised. I say to the noble and gallant Lord that it is very difficult to identify individuals who are what we term “lone wolves”. There is an organised structure, which my noble friend Lord West mentioned, but there are also lone wolves who are radicalised. The Government are alive to both issues and will continue to be on top of them. We will put the security of this country and of our partners at the forefront of our operations.