‘Spies’ recruited to tackle extremism in schools
By politics.co.uk staff
A newly reinforced government team's work will prevent extremism "taking hold" in the nation's schools, Michael Gove has claimed.
The education secretary's comments came as it emerged two experienced counterintelligence officials have been drafted in to help radical Muslim clerics take over new schools.
The pair, who have years of experience working from the Home Office against terror networks, will join a due diligence unit vetting the establishment of new schools.
"The due diligence unit will monitor applications for new schools and managements in existing schools so there's no risk of extremism taking hold," Mr Gove told the Sunday Express newspaper.
"We want to help local authorities and others to deal with governors trying to hijack their school or extremists setting up free schools.
"Whether it's religious extremism or political extremism, that power will be there."
Frustration with regulator Ofsted's failure to spot extremist elements taking over existing schools is thought to be behind the move.
