Rayner's secret Islamophobia talks ‘risk new grooming gang cover-up'
Angela Rayner is accused of wanting to secretly drive through a definition of Islamophobia that could make it harder to discuss grooming gangs.
The Deputy Prime Minister has appointed a working group to come up with a definition to be used across government.
It is chaired by Dominic Grieve, the former Tory Cabinet minister, who has praised a 2019 study that called the discussion of 'grooming gangs' an example of 'anti-Muslim racism'.
However, Claire Coutinho, a Conservative frontbencher, told The Telegraph she was concerned the process could be influenced by 'activists who have promoted extreme definitions of Islamophobia'.
She has written to Ms Rayner accusing her of having the work carried out in secret, without the public being able to offer their views during a consultation period.
And she pointed out that a ' culture of secrecy around matters relating to race and religion ' was a key factor enabling 'gangs of men to groom, rape, and torture young girls with impunity'.
Critics have warned that some proposed definitions of Islamophobia would make it impossible for people to raise concerns about Asian grooming gangs.
It comes after a report by Baroness Louise Casey found that hundreds of girls had suffered unimaginable sexual abuse, in part because some in authority had not tackled the issue out of fear of appearing racist.
Ms Coutinho, the shadow minister for equalities, said was concerned the process would 'stifle free speech', and 'almost certainly would have prevented people from speaking out about the shocking abuse of young girls, disproportionately perpetrated by Pakistani Muslim men '.
She told The Telegraph: 'The Casey report was crystal clear. For years, people were too scared to tell the truth about the rape and torture of children because they were scared of being called racist.
'Yet Labour is doubling down – pushing a secretive process including the voices of activists who have promoted extreme definitions of Islamophobia that would prevent people discussing genuine concerns around extremism and integration.
'Freedom of speech is not an optional extra in Britain. Angela Rayner must allow the general public to have their say on the definition of Islamophobia and make sure that no religions, belief systems, or people who hold a certain faith are beyond criticism.'
The 2019 all-party parliamentary study on Islamophobia praised by Mr Grieve said: 'The recourse to the notion of free speech and a supposed right to criticise Islam results in nothing more than another subtle form of anti-Muslim racism, whereby the criticism humiliates, marginalises, and stigmatises Muslims. One real-life example of this concerns the issue of 'grooming gangs'.'
Mr Grieve described the report at the time as 'well-researched' and 'an important contribution to the debate'.
However, it was condemned by Kemi Badenoch, the equalities minister at the time, although the Labour Party adopted the definition and the examples referenced in the report.
The working group includes Baroness Shaista Gohir, who in 2013 wrote a report arguing that the 'media coverage being given to British Pakistani offenders' was 'disproportionate', and that this was helping to 'fuel racism and Islamophobia'.
She wrote: 'Right-wing populist groups have used this issue to fuel racism and Islamophobia, ignoring evidence that sexual exploitation occurs in every community and that the majority of offenders are white.'
Another member, Akeela Ahmed, has called for the government to engage with the Muslim Council of Britain, despite alleged links to extremism.
The new working group recently announced that although certain groups would be invited to respond to a consultation on any definition, the public would not be asked to do so.
In her letter, Ms Coutinho said: 'This is unacceptable given the wide-ranging and serious implications that the definition will have on freedom of speech.'
When the group comes up with its decision, it will be sent to Ms Rayner to sign off. The terms of reference state that the recommendations of the working group will not be published.
Ms Coutinho continued: 'Surely in this, of all policy areas, the public deserve full transparency.
'A culture of secrecy around matters relating to race and religion – and self-censorship for fear of causing offence – was a key factor in what enabled gangs of men to groom, rape, and torture young girls with impunity.
'The Casey report has said, in no uncertain terms, that many examples were found of organisations avoiding the discussion of grooming gangs altogether 'for fear of appearing racist, raising community tensions or causing community cohesion problems'.
'For you to continue this work in secrecy, and without inviting views from the general public or wider society, would demonstrate that the Government has clearly not learnt the necessary lessons of the Casey report and the importance of transparency in maintaining public trust.'
Those invited to take part in the consultation are asked for views on: what terminology to use, the need for a definition, whether racism should be a component of any new definition, what should be included within a definition, and examples of anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia.
The warnings were backed by the Policy Exchange think tank, which claimed an official definition of Islamophobia could shut down vital debate on grooming gangs.
The report urged the Government to suspend Mr Grieve's working group with immediate effect, pending the conclusion of the national inquiry into grooming gangs in three years' time.
Sir John Jenkins, former ambassador to Saudi Arabia and co-author of the report, said any official definition of Islamophobia would 'almost certainly turbocharge ' cancel culture '' and would 'be an undeniable act of two-tier policy, creating special status and protection for members of one faith alone'.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: 'We are absolutely committed to defending freedom of speech, and any proposed definition must be compatible with the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News
18 minutes ago
- Sky News
The assisted dying debate has been politics – but not as we know it
The House of Commons is a place defined by confrontation where political battles play out and engage more actively with their constituents. But the atmosphere could not have been more different on Friday, as those on both sides of the assisted dying debate listened respectfully, almost solemnly, to one another in the final hours before the crucial vote. As MPs headed for the division lobbies, the bill's supporters seemed confident but nervous. When the voting was completed and the result imminent, a long and profound silence fell over the House. From the press gallery, it seemed that the entire Commons was holding its breath together, collectively aware of the historic moment we were all about to witness, whatever the outcome. The woman at the centre of this seismic moment, the bill's sponsor Kim Leadbeater, braced herself as the result came in. Many months of pressure and responsibility appeared to be lifted from her shoulders as the win was announced and colleagues gathered to commend her efforts. Throughout the process this been politics but not as we know it, with party divisions put aside and MPs asked to search their own consciences and come to their own conclusions. It has created a more collaborative atmosphere in parliament and encouraged MPs to engage more actively with their constituents. 3:06 In the end there was still anger, frustration and disappointment among those who were against the law change, either on principle or because they believed the legislation was flawed. And of course, politics will go back to being combative and voices in the Commons will be raised once again. But for a brief period, historic change was calmly ushered in. The challenge for the proponents now is to take the legislation through the next phases and deliver it with the same smoothness and determination.
Times
43 minutes ago
- Times
Palestine Action group shows no signs of slowing down
'We are tired of being ignored. It is up to all of us to stop this complicity' were the words that launched Palestine Action almost five years ago. Founded by Huda Ammori, who has Palestinian and Iraqi heritage, and Richard Barnard, a veteran left-wing activist, the fledgling group said direct action should be taken against Elbit Systems, a weapons manufacturer that they claim 'profits from Israel's war crimes'. Two months later, in September 2020, they did just that. Activists occupied a factory in Shenstone, in Staffordshire, smashing windows, drilling holes into ceilings, throwing air conditioning units to the ground and dousing the building in red paint. The demonstration marked the start of co-ordinated attempts to damage both the defence firm facilities and finances across the country, which have propelled the group on a path towards proscription. Throughout 2021 Palestine Action widened its activities, occupying a drone factory in Leicester. The occupation lasted six days, and ten arrests were made for conspiracy to commit criminal damage and aggravated trespass. The defendants were cleared after the trial judge instructed the jury to consider the common law defence of Necessity. After launching their Scottish branch, they targeted Thales, another defence firm. Having infiltrated its Glasgow facility in 2022, the activists allegedly caused more than £1 million of damage. Five were jailed after members of the group threw a smoke bomb into an area where staff were being evacuated. Protesters in red suits and balaclavas also caused hundreds of thousands of pounds of damage to an electronics plant in Wales that year, which they believed was making circuit boards for Israeli drones. The group's activities ramped up after the October 7, 2023 attacks. As Israeli forces announced a 'full siege' on Gaza, Palestine Action published a list of over 50 targets 'complicit in Elbit's murderous arms trade'. A few days later they sprayed the headquarters of the BBC — which wasn't on the list — with red paint to 'symbolise complicity in genocide'. Protestors also blockaded Lockheed Martin in Bedford, smeared red paint over the Foreign Office and targeted the headquarters of aerospace firm Leonardo, at which two men were arrested for what the Met called racially aggravated criminal damage. Their actions began to go beyond scaling roof tops and breaking factory windows. Members of the campaign group allegedly used a modified prison van to ram the entrance of Elbit's Bristol HQ last summer. Once inside they dismantled weapons, allegedly caused £1 million in damage and assaulted two officers were with a sledgehammer, police said. Eighteen people were charged and held on remand over the break-in. Less than a month after members of Just Stop Oil threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers painting, two Palestine Action members squirted tomato ketchup at a statue of former prime minister Arthur Balfour. The former foreign secretary has been a focus of activist anger as he was the signatory of the Balfour Declaration, a 1917 document that pledged support for the establishment of a 'national home for the Jewish people' in Palestine. In March 2024, the group used blades to slash a painting of Lord Balfour hanging in the University of Cambridge. Seven months later — to mark the declaration's anniversary — they reportedly stole two busts of Israel's first president from the University of Manchester's chemistry building. As Palestine Action grew in notoriety and numbers, the British state also became a target. Early in 2024, six members were arrested for allegedly plotting to prevent the London Stock Exchange from opening. Activists have inevitably attracted the attention of authorities and received jail time. Among the first to be hauled before the courts were five members in November 2022, who had covered Elbit's Kingsway offices in their, now signature, red paint. They were, however, acquitted by a jury of 'conspiracy to commit criminal damage' and the offices later closed. Palestine Action declared a victory for this and for the closure of an Elbit factory in Oldham, where their sustained protests had resulted in 36 arrests. In August 2024, five members of the group were handed custodial sentences for protest action. It took two years for the courts to hand out suspended prison sentences and order the protesters to pay more than £5,000 in compensation after seven activists broke into the Bristol headquarters of Elbit to destroy equipment. Zoë Rogers turned 21 in prison. She had been charged with criminal damage, violent disorder and aggravated burglary in relation to the Bristol incident after telling her mother, Clare, that the pro-Palestine marches 'weren't working'. She was denied bail and is on remand with a trial set for November 2025. Fatema Zainab was arrested and charged as part of the same operation. As the court system caught up in December 2023, two members of a group known as the Elbit Eight, Genevieve Scherer and Jocelyn Cooney, were acquitted on charges relatingfrom July 2020 to January 2021. Their defence had argued that they were justified in 'working to disrupt manufacture of Israel's weaponry'. Richard Barnard was convicted of one count of criminal damage at the now-closed Elbit factory in Oldham.
BBC News
43 minutes ago
- BBC News
Rural crime gangs 'scoping out' farms to steal equipment, NFU says
Organised crime groups are "scoping out" farms in order to steal equipment including quad bikes and 4x4s, Wales' leading farming union has said."They know where these items are and they often know where the keys are kept, so it can be very intrusive," said Abi Reader, National Farmers' Union (NFU) Cymru's deputy cost of rural crime fell across the UK in 2024 except in Wales where it rose by 18% to £2.8m, NFU research shows – however this was also one of the lowest figures across the Police said it was aware of the worry caused by rural crime, and would continue with operations and targeted patrols across the force area. As well as organised crime, rural crime issues include livestock theft, dog attacks and fly tipping, according to Reader, 43, described it as an "enormous issue" in Wales, ranging from everyday items being stolen to livestock attacks by dogs and damage to crops caused by also said the theft of quad bikes, which can cost several thousand pounds, was a particular issue."They seem to be high on the list of organised crime, and there are a lot of them in Wales."We're a livestock nation, and they're essential for day-to-day working life, so when they're stolen it has a huge emotional and financial impact."She added farmers were also concerned about the potential for thefts to happen "again and again and again"."These things come in waves, and we know organised crime groups are operating in communities. They're scoping out farms and they know where these items are," she said. Some farmers are increasing their own security by installing CCTV and placing trackers on their vehicles, but Ms Reader said police needed to place more resources on rural by the NFU said the total cost of rural crime in the UK fell by 16.5% last year from £52.8m in 2023 to £44.1m in 2024, praising the "power of collaboration" between farmers, police and figures show a fall in the cost of rural crime in all parts of the UK except in Wales, where it increased from £2.4m to £2.8m, a rise of 18%.Wales had the third lowest cost for rural crime in the UK in 2024, with only Northern Ireland (£1.8m) and Scotland (£1.2m) being lower, while the Midlands was the region with the highest cost at £8.1m. Garry Williams, 55, who runs a farm near Llangadog, Carmarthenshire, said he had had equipment such as chainsaws, farm tools and fencing materials stolen, as well as said organised crime groups will steal "anywhere between 12 to 15 quad bikes in the area, and that could be all over Carmarthenshire". "They'll strike in one area, and then move somewhere else," he said, adding there were concerns that some of these groups were becoming "more determined" and more willing to use violence."It does cause mental stress... it's not a nice feeling someone coming onto your farm, your property, at night," he Williams added livestock theft was also an issue, some of which was "farmer-to-farmer"."They'll load them up in the night and steal them and try and pass them onto an abattoir or the livestock market," he issues he raised were fly-tipping, particularly in remote areas, as well as dog attacks on livestock resulting from improved access to footpaths in rural areas."You can have the nicest dog in the world, but people often don't want to put them on a lead, and if they attack they can cause some really nasty injuries," he said. Mr Williams said he believed police resources was an issue when it comes to tackling rural he was positive about collaboration with Dyfed-Powys Police, including a recent meeting with the police commissioner, he urged the force to put more resources into the issue including having an inspector dedicated to tackling rural crime."It works when the infrastructure is in place, when there are officers who know about rural crime, but it can feel like a postcode lottery. What we want is consistency of that structure," he Police said it was "aware of the significant impact that crimes of this nature have on victims and the worry it can cause to the wider community".A spokesperson said officers from its rural crime team visited farms to conduct "crime prevention audits", while also providing DNA-marking kits to help protect "valuable equipment and machinery"."We will continue with operations and targeted patrols across the force area, however given the huge area we cover, it is difficult to be everywhere," they said.
