Islamic attacks amid election campaign. Corbyn's u-turn

The left-wing leader reviews his position on Islam. And accuses the conservative challenger May of having cut funds for the police and intelligence. Premier calls for end of any form of tolerance of extremism. Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Countries called into question as supporters of Islamist extremism.

London (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Islamic attacks in Britain are weighing on the election campaign and the programs of the two challengers Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn who have been forced to review their positions in foreign and domestic policy.

The Islamic State's jihadists have claimed the terrorist attack on London on June 3 when three armed terrorists killed four people and injured 48 injured, 21 of whom are in a serious condition. The police killed all three.

It is the third deadly terrorist attack in Britain in less than three months, a few days ahead of the political elections on June 8th. Tonight there will be a vigil for the victims near Tower Bridge, one of the locations of the attack, through to the Borough Market.

Last night, the American popstar Ariana Grande, was joined by other stars such as Pharrell Williams and Justin Bieber, for a charity concert held in Manchester titled "Praying for London" after the recent terrorist attack in the city. The alarm in the country remains at the highest level.

Theresa May, who served as interior minister for six years before assuming the post of Prime Minister after the Brexit vote last summer, said Britain's response to the terrorist threat now has to change.

"We can not and must not pretend that things can continue as they are," she said, adding that "there is too much tolerance for extremism in our country." For May the eradication of Islamist ideology "is one of the biggest challenges Of our time "and that cannot be done only with security and anti-terrorism measures, but needs intervention on the ground and on the Internet," to avoid propagation of extremism and terrorist operations. "" We will take every necessary measure and provide every available resource to the police and security services, "she concluded.

The latest events have also changed the attitude of May's leading challenger, Jeremy Corbyn, of the Labour Party, who until the Manchester bombings stressed that Britain's role in wars in Muslim countries fueled the risk of domestic terrorism. Corbyn's last words, however, echoed the prime minister's call for unity. "This is a shocking act of violence against people and must be condemned totally and without reservations," he said.

The election campaign was suspended for a three-day mourning period, but Corbyn still sports a black tie. And forgetting his sharp criticism of Britain's military interventionism, he launched an offensive against London’s foreign policy . "The war on terror does not work," he said, announcing the need for a strategic revision. He also criticized the May government for having reduced police budgets. "Many experts, including the professionals of our intelligence and security services, have indicated the links between the wars that our government has backed or fought in other countries, such as Libya, and terrorism here at home."

"I know that the Londoners and the British people in every corner of the country have defended our values ​​and our diversity," he concluded, highlighting how this is the worst election campaign in history. "I cannot remember other elections where there was something like this." Corbyn also denounced funding for Islamic extremism coming from West and Western allies. London, he said yesterday, has urgently needs to have "difficult talks" with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Countries on the financing of Islamic extremism.

This is a real political turning point, considering the placement and opening of the Labour Party in the debate on the Islamization of the country that had come, for example, to address the approval of Islamic courts that legislate and issue verdicts on the basis of Sharia which have already existed for years on British territory.

• Brittany
• terrorism
• theresa may
• jeremy corbyn
• elections