Dr Jessica White comments on the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings in London

"This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 bombings, attacks that not only took and devastated lives but altered the course of UK security policy.

Counterterrorism in the UK – almost exclusively focused on the threat of Islamist extremism – drove security priorities and decisions for almost 15 years, reinforcing global shifts following the September 2001 attacks in the US. While this was not the first enduring threat of terrorism the UK has faced, there was a collective acceptance after 7 /7 of counterterrorism measures becoming a constant daily presence. The UK's CONTEST grew to being considered a model counterterrorism strategy globally.

Over the last five years, priorities have started to evolve, with more focus on the threat of 'far-right' violent extremism and terrorism – an ideological spectrum including white supremacy, xenophobia, misogyny and more. This threat is amplified in a digital age that allows easy communication of extremist sentiment, transnational connections and the combined influence of bad actors. With this, counter-terror approaches are faced with an increasingly lower age of offenders and the democratic challenge of defining lines between what is freedom of expression and what may lead to terrorism. Fundamentally, the threat of social and political polarisation seems stronger than ever, which lowers societal resilience to extremism and can in turn lead to radicalisation to violence.

Currently, a period of geopolitical conflict and re-positioning is shifting the security apparatus, and counterterrorism is being deprioritised. While this may be appropriate rightsizing in some cases, this is a key moment to remember 7/7 and to not take our eye off the threat of terrorism."