The former head of the Charity Commission, William Shawcross, is to lead an independent  review of the anti-extremism Prevent programme.  
 
The government-led programme is part of the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy and seeks to safeguard vulnerable people from being radicalised. The review will explore its strategy and delivery and make recommendations. 
 
Mr Shawcross said on Tuesday he intended to lead a “robust and evidence-based examination of the programme” and that he hoped to hear from “a wide range of voices.”
 
He chaired the Charity Commission between 2012 and 2018 and was the special representative on UK victims of Libyan sponsored IRA terrorism.
  
Robin Simcox, director of the Counter Extremism Group, said Mr Shawcross would “ensure an intellectually robust and fair-minded review” of Prevent. 
 
"Shawcross recognises the threat posed by terrorism and, throughout a long and storied career, has done more than most to bring attention to the challenges it poses to liberal democracy,” he said. 
 
Mr Shawcross is a member of the consortium that bought the JC in April last year