Gove: 'I Am Not At War With Theresa May'
Updated: 2:00pm UK, Thursday 05 June 2014
Michael Gove has said he is not at war with the Home Secretary over alleged Islamic fundamentalism in Birmingham schools.
The Education Secretary insisted that "Theresa May is doing a fantastic job" when questioned about the spat between the two over the way extremism is being handled by the Government.
His comments come after David Cameron said he wanted answers on the row between two of his most senior ministers demanding "the full facts laid before him".
As the row unfolded on Wednesday, Mrs May and Mr Gove made significant efforts to show a united front and issued three statements saying they were "working together".
Mr Cameron was forced to intervene after it was disclosed on Wednesday morning the Education Secretary thought that Mrs May was failing to properly tackle Islamic fundamentalism.
Mr Gove is said to believe extremism is the gateway to more violent behaviour and that the Home Office has refused to tackle it until it can be linked to terrorism.
Mrs May responded by making public a letter written to the Education Secretary in which she accused the department of failing to act over radical Islamists apparently targeting Birmingham schools despite warnings dating back to 2010.
On Thursday morning Mr Gove was asked if he was at war with Mrs May and replied: "Certainly not, Theresa May is doing a fantastic job. There's a lot going on."
When asked if she was too soft on Islamic fundamentalism he said: "No, absolutely not. She's doing a very fine job."
Justice Minister Chris Grayling admitted there were "tensions and debates" within Government over how to tackle Islamist extremism but denied a rift between the two.
Mr Grayling told Radio 4's Today programme: "They were very clear yesterday. They issued a statement to say that they are working very closely together on this."
He said the rows in the coalition were nothing compared to the Tony Blair/Gordon Brown days.
When asked if Mrs May and Mr Gove got on during his weekly radio call in session on LBC, Nick Clegg, who is also reported to have fallen out with Mr Gove on a number of education issues, said: "Ask them".
Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt accused the ministers of being "asleep on the job" and said: "Instead of ministers rowing, we need leadership on how we confront the very serious and worrying reports about Birmingham schools."
Some 21 schools in Birmingham have been the subject of an Ofsted investigation after a letter, which is widely believed to be a hoax, referred to an alleged plot, known as the "Trojan Horse" plot, by hardline Muslims to seize control of governing boards in the city.
Earlier this week, Sky News disclosed one of the schools had been found to be "inadequate" after failing to protect pupils from extremism.
Inspectors found: "Students have a scant understanding of other religions, the focus is primarily on Islam."
Sky News also revealed senior leaders at three schools in Birmingham were so concerned about the influence of Muslim extremists in the 1990s they wrote a letter to education ministers, which was copied to then Prime Minister John Major.
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