The Trojan Horse scandal, also known as "Operation Trojan Horse" or the Trojan Horse affair, is a conspiracy theory that posits a plot to introduce an "Islamist" or "Salafist" ethos into several schools in Birmingham, England. The name, based on the Greek legend, comes from an anonymous letter sent to Birmingham City Council in late 2013, alleged to be from Birmingham "Islamists" detailing how to wrest control of a school, and speculating about expanding the scheme to other cities. The letter was leaked to the press in March 2014. Around a month later, Birmingham City Council revealed that following the letter release it had received hundreds of allegations of plots similar to those described in the letter, some claims dating back over 20 years. The letter has been characterised as "incomplete, unsigned and unaddressed", but led to two investigations commissioned by the Department of Education and Birmingham City Council, the Clarke and Kershaw Reports, respectively. The reports did not both endorse the idea of "a plot", but points to "behaviour indicative of a concerted attempt to change schools".
Gender segregation and intimidation by governors were alleged at Carlton Bolling College in Bradford
Prime Minister David Cameron declared that refusing to accept British laws and way of life was "not an option"
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, announced after the investigation that schools must promote "British values"
Michael Andrew Gove is a British politician serving as Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations since October 2022, having previously held both offices from September 2021 to July 2022. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Surrey Heath since 2005.
Official portrait, 2022
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, where Gove studied (pictured in 2017)
David Cameron, leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016
Official portrait, 2012