One of Britain's most senior police officers has leapt to the defence of the much-criticised Prevent programme set up to stop people being drawn into terrorism.

Critics of Prevent, including some senior members of Britain's Muslim community, have described the strategy, set up in 2003, as a ‘toxic brand'. They claim there is a perception that it is both used to target young Muslims and that it involves the community ‘spying' on each other.