Michael Gove’s extremism crackdown has been the talk of the Tory party for weeks now, with three former Conservative home secretaries warning ahead of today’s official announcement not to use the issue to score political points. Gove, the Levelling Up secretary, has drawn up a new definition of non-violent extremism which, he told the Commons this lunchtime, would include ‘the promotion or advancement of…violence, hatred or intolerance’.

Gove argued that the new definition is ‘more precise and rigorous’ than what came before. The announcement follows Rishi Sunak’s Downing Street speech after George Galloway’s Rochdale by-election, in which the Prime Minister warned that Islamist extremists and far-right groups are ‘spreading a poison’.

Ministers have been at pains to say this isn’t just about cracking down on Islamist extremism

The new definition will be used to crack down on government funding for groups that fall foul of the definition, as well as making sure such groups have no contact with the government that could offer them legitimacy. The hope is that the new definition will mean that public bodies now also think twice about working with any groups that fall under the definition.

Ministers have been at pains to say this isn’t just about cracking down on Islamist extremism and instead is also aimed at tackling extremism on the right. But in the context of Sunak’s speech and ongoing pro-Palestine marches, it is fair to read it as a response to recent events. When it comes to organisations that, according to Gove are a cause for concern under the new definition, three are Muslim groups: Mend (Muslim Engagement and Development), Cage and the Muslim Association of Britain (MAB). Two are right wing groups: British National Socialist Movement and Patriotic Alternative. Gove said:

‘We will be holding these and other organisations to account to assess if they meet our definition of extremism and will take action as appropriate’.

Yet it is still politically tricky territory for the party. First off, it’s not exactly great timing that, in the week the government wants to talk about tackling extremism, the PM has found himself having to call comments made by a top Tory donor ‘racist’.

There is also an ongoing concern on the right of the party that today’s crackdown could yet have unintended consequences – and be used potentially by a future Labour government to target Christian groups or even feminist organisations. With the polls currently pointing to a heavy Tory defeat, expect more focus in the coming months on what powers the Conservatives could be inadvertently handing over to Labour.

A version of this article appears in The Spectator’s Lunchtime Espresso. Sign up for the daily briefing email for free here