Banning them, securing us? draws on original research to explore the proscribing - or banning - of terrorist organisations within the United Kingdom across a period of twenty years. It argues that the process of banning specific organisations is as much a ritualistic performance of liberal democracy as it is a technique for increasing national security from the threat posed by terrorism. This ritual - which is characterised by a repetitive script, an established cast of characters, and a predictable outcome - provides an important contribution to the construction of Britain as a liberal, democratic, moderate space. It does so, paradoxically, through extending the reach of a power which has limited political or judicial oversight, and considerable implications for rights, freedoms, and political participation. The book offers the first research monograph on this vital, yet surprisingly neglected counter-terrorism power in the United Kingdom or beyond. It proceeds via a discursive analysis of all British Parliamentary debates on the banning of terrorist organisations since the introduction of Britain's current proscription regime in 2000. This current regime is also, crucially, put into historical context through exploration of its evolution across centuries of British history. And, into comparative context through comparison with related regimes across the world.

This book will be essential reading for researchers and students working on issues of security, identity and British politics across a range of academic disciplines, including Political Science, Sociology, Law, Criminology, History, and - most obviously - International Relations and Security Studies.