Durham law academic leads national review of UK Counter-Terrorism Law and Policy

The review offers the most comprehensive assessment in over two decades of how the UK addresses the threat of terrorism while upholding democratic values and human rights.

Detailed analysis

The report, produced by the Independent Commission on UK Counter-Terrorism Law, Policy and Practice, provides a detailed analysis of the evolution of counter-terrorism measures since 2000.

It sets out a series of evidence-based recommendations to ensure that the UK’s approach remains effective, proportionate, and aligned with the Rule of Law.

Durham’s Tufyal served as Research Director for the Commission. In this role, he led the research programme and co-ordinated the collection and analysis of evidence from a wide range of stakeholders, including civil society organisations, policymakers, practitioners, and academic experts.

Key recommendations

The Commission was chaired by the Rt Hon Sir Declan Morgan KC PC, former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.

Its members include senior figures from across the legal, policing, and political spheres: the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KC PC (former Attorney General), Sir Peter Fahy KPM (former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police), and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi PC (former Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office).

Among the report’s key recommendations are:

• A refocused Prevent strategy that addresses terrorism-related risks within a broader locally-led safeguarding framework.
• A clearer and narrower definition of terrorism to ensure legal proportionality.
• Enhanced independent oversight and parliamentary scrutiny of counter-terrorism powers.
• Systematic collection of equality and effectiveness data to assess the impact of counter-terrorism measures.
• Greater investment in community cohesion and evidence-based prevention strategies.

The Commission’s findings aim to chart a path for reform that strengthens public safety while safeguarding civil liberties and democratic accountability.

Durham Law School’s involvement reflects its commitment to advancing evidence-based legal reform and contributing to national and international policy debates on security, human rights, and justice.

The School is recognised internationally for its expertise in human rights, security, and legal reform, and continues to play a leading role in addressing some of the most pressing legal and societal challenges of our time.

Find out more

• Read the full report published via the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law.
• Learn more about the work of Tufyal Choudhury at Durham Law School.
• Find out more about Durham Law School.
• Our Law School is ranked 57th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 and third in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2026.
• Visit our Law webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.