Social media companies such as Facebook must help tackle online radicalisation to combat the threat of far-right terrorism, a Home Office minister has said.

Security Minister James Brokenshire said the Government should work with tech firms to slow the spread of misinformation online with the upcoming Online Harms legislation aiming to put a duty of care into law.

He told an online RUSI event “twisted perversions of the truth” can take young people vulnerable to radicalisation down a “potential pathway to violence”.

He said: “Of course, investigations by the police and security services are central to their counterterrorism efforts, but a friend or relative or a colleague will often be best placed to spot some of these warning signs and vulnerabilities, at an early stage.

“We also expect social media companies to play a role in identifying and flagging both illegal glorification content, and the potential terrorist grooming of vulnerable individuals.

“That is why we are so concerned when companies like Facebook, take a unilateral decision to apply end-to-end encryption, in a way that wholly precludes any access to the content of users messages.

“These companies must continue to take responsibility in tackling illegal behaviour.

“And we remain committed to working with them to ensure we continue to protect the public, without compromising user privacy.

“And the threat from the far right provides further significance to the need to be vigilant to the ways in which the online space can be misused for radicalisation.”

Facebook has previously announced plans to fully encrypt communications in its Messenger app, as well as its Instagram Direct service, on top of WhatsApp, which is already encrypted, meaning no-one apart from the sender and recipient can read or modify messages.

The social network has said the changes are designed to improve user privacy on all of its platforms, but law enforcement agencies fear the move will have a devastating impact on their ability to target paedophiles and protect children online.

Mr Brokenshire’s speech on Thursday came as official figures revealed there were a total of 6,287 referrals to the Government’s Prevent anti-radicalisation programme between April 2019 and March 2020, up 10% from a record low of 5,737 the previous year.

He said, along with Prevent referrals, authorities must also look at “external factors… that we can and will influence to be able to challenge those false and fake news stories that some will use to justify some sort of narrative, or ideology”.

Earlier this month, the head of UK counter terrorism policing Neil Basu said right-wing extremism is the fastest growing threat, with younger people particularly vulnerable to the ideology.

Ten out of the 12 under-18s who were arrested for terrorism last year were linked to extreme right-wing beliefs, police figures show, with around 20% of all terrorism arrests in the year to June 30 2020 linked to the ideology.

Mr Basu said Islamist terrorism remains the greatest threat, accounting for up to 80% of his workload, while right-wing extremism has grown from 6% to 10% in the past few years

Read More: Younger teenagers being drawn in by right wing extremism

A greater emphasis on promoting British values and the English language forms part of a new action plan to help promote better integration.

Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said “we cannot ignore the fact that too many places across the country have divides”.

He added these prevent people making the most of the opportunities available.

The plan sets out a series of steps the Government will take in England, backed by £50 million in funding, to create “stronger, more confident and integrated communities”.

The integrated communities action plan states immigrants should build a good understanding of British life and learn English – but local communities also have a responsibility to welcome newcomers.

It promises a “package of practical information” for migrants “to help them meet, mix and build social connections with neighbours and the wider community”.

The Life in the UK citizenship test will give greater prominence to national values , while the language requirements for those seeking to become citizens will also be strengthened.

In schools, teachers will be supported to promote British values across the curriculum and there will be a new national strategy for the English language.

Mr Brokenshire said: “We are a successful, diverse democracy – open, tolerant and welcoming.

“These characteristics are as British as queuing and talking about the weather.

“However, we cannot ignore the fact that too many places across the country have divides, the benefits and opportunities our great country offers are not always felt by everyone equally.”

He added: “Our new action plan charts a course for how we will engage and work with communities to bring people together in recognition that there is more that binds than divides us.

“And as we embark on a new future outside the European Union, we need to ensure that everyone, whatever their background, has access to the same opportunities.”

The plan also includes measures aimed at ensuring communities have access to information and support to improve their areas, including taking much-loved local assets into community ownership