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Middle East Eye
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
UK Islamophobia definition to protect right to 'insult religions'
The UK government has published more details about a working group set up to advise it on a possible definition of Islamophobia which would also protect the right to "insult" religious beliefs and practices. The membership of the working group appears to signal that the government is engaging with the recently launched British Muslim Network (BMN), but not the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) - the largest umbrella body claiming to represent British Muslims. Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative attorney general, has been appointed chair of the group with BMN co-chair Akeela Ahmed among its four other members. Earlier this year it emerged that the government was planning to create a working group to draw up an official definition for anti-Muslim discrimination. This suggested it was rowing back plans to adopt the definition proposed in 2018 by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for British Muslims. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters That definition, which the Conservative government rejected, was criticised by some as potentially stifling criticism of Islam, which the APPG strongly denied. Adopted by Labour in opposition, the definition characterises Islamophobia as "a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness". In September 2024, Labour's faith minister Lord Wajid Khan said that "the definition proposed by the APPG is not in line with the Equality Act 2010, which defines race in terms of colour, nationality and national or ethnic origins". Freedom of speech The new working group's terms of reference, published on Monday, include giving advice on "the merits of government adopting a non-statutory definition of unacceptable treatment of Muslims and anyone perceived to be Muslim, including what a proposed definition should be". This establishes that the government has not yet decided that it will adopt any definition of Islamophobia. In apparent reference to widespread criticism, the terms say that any proposed definition "must be compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression - which includes the right to criticise, express dislike of, or insult religions and/or the beliefs and practices of adherents." Ahmed's inclusion in the working group comes just weeks after the official launch of the BMN in February with backing from faith minister Khan, and after Middle East Eye had previously revealed it had lost much of its Muslim support and was being backed by a charity set up by disgraced former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. Exclusive: British Muslim Network backed by charity set up by former archbishop Welby Read More » MEE reported ahead of the launch that several Muslim MPs privately said they would not attend after a series of controversies. Critics have suggested that the BMN's co-chairs and advisory board lack credibility, warning that the government could use the network to continue to avoid engaging with the Muslim Council of Britain. But the BMN's leadership has argued that the government should engage with a "whole range" of Muslim groups, including both the MCB and BMN. Consecutive governments have followed a policy of refusing to engage with the MCB - despite it having over 500 member organisations, including mosques, schools, local and county councils, professional networks and advocacy groups. Starmer's government adopted this approach and even ignored communications from the MCB during the far-right riots that raged across the country for over a week in August. The BMN does not claim to be a similarly representative body. But its representation on the new working group indicates that the government has chosen to engage with the organisation while continuing to boycott the MCB. Another notable omission from the membership list is Tell Mama, an Islamophobia reporting service funded by the communities ministry and accused of severely under-reporting hate crimes. The Guardian reported earlier this month that no grant will be provided to the organisation from the end of March, leaving it facing closure. Working definition Also on the working group is Professor Javed Khan, managing director of Equi, a new think tank which says it was "born out of the UK Muslim community". At the parliamentary launch of an Equi report last month, Khan told parliamentarians and civil society figures that the think tank was "seeing engagement" from the Labour government, including ministers and special advisers. "The government needs to be faith literate in its policy development," he said. Equi's report on Muslims in the British arts and culture scene notably warned that Muslim creatives are often "herded" into receiving funding from the contentious Prevent counter-extremism programme, which "often toxifies, devalues and limits artistic intent". British Muslim creators 'herded' into Prevent funding, says Equi think tank Read More » Grieve, the chair of the working group, previously chaired the Citizens' UK Commission on Islam, aimed at promoting dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims, and wrote the foreword to the contentious APPG report on Islamophobia in 2018, calling it "food both for thought and positive action". He said last month that "defining Islamophobia is extremely difficult for perfectly valid reasons relating to freedom of expression", but noted that "perfectly law-abiding Muslims going about their business and well integrated into society are suffering discrimination and abuse". Baroness Shaista Gohir, a crossbench peer and CEO of Muslim Women's Network UK (MWNUK), is another member of the working group. MEE revealed in late February that an MWNUK event in parliament in March celebrating the "cultural contribution of Muslims in the UK" was supported by TikTok, the social media giant accused of censoring content on human rights abuses faced by Uyghur Muslims in China. Aisha Affi, an independent consultant, is also named as a member of the working group. The terms of reference say that the group will have six months to deliver a working definition of Islamophobia to ministers. It establishes that the government "has the right to disband the Group at any point and without notice if they deem that it is no longer meeting its aims and objectives".
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Labour cannot defend their record on free speech while pursuing an Islamophobia law
Sir Keir Starmer was keen to stress Britain's history of freedom of speech in his meeting with Donald Trump at the Oval Office last week. 'We've had free speech for a very long time in the United Kingdom and it will last for a very long time,' the Prime Minister said proudly. He was commenting in response to a comment from the US Vice President JD Vance about 'infringements on free speech' in the UK. This makes it all the more terrifying that the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is pushing to introduce a new Islamophobia law in the UK, which will only restrict legitimate expression. Let me explain why. The term 'Islamophobia' suggests Islam cannot be questioned. It really is as simple as that. I have repeatedly called for the phrase 'anti-Muslim hatred' to be used instead, but this has fallen on deaf ears under the new Government. Why is Labour not providing the same service to other communities, such as Sikh people? Whilst some Sikhs have been attacked because perpetrators have thought they were Muslim, this does not provide a full picture of anti-Sikh hate crimes. We also know that racism and international issues in India also fuel hatred towards Sikhs. Many of these cases go unreported: will the Government step in and help this community? No. Labour does the usual: it forgets other communities in our country in its obsession with defining 'Islamophobia.' Rayner's department talks about transparency and ensuring that 'all voices' will be heard in consultations on the definition of Islamophobia. But why has she not publicly listed the names of those on the committee? How many members of the committee have delivered public reporting services on hate crimes, or discrimination, or on measurable levels of prejudice against British Muslims? Has MHLCG (the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government ) simply filled the committee with talking heads who all know each other and will not rock the boat within the Department? Rayner's definition will be non-binding on statutory agencies. This makes it utterly pointless. It does not have to be accepted by the courts, local authorities or even the police. The existing laws on hate speech, hate crimes and public disorder offences are clear, enforceable and have led to many prosecutions. There is therefore no good reason for Rayner to be spending her time and resources on a definition that is essentially pointless. Let us not forget that the Chair of the 'Council on Islamophobia' – Dominic Grieve KC – wrote a foreword to the APPG on Islamophobia's definition of 2018. That very definition was summarised into the following: 'Islamophobia is… rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness'. This definition is so wide you can drive a coach and horses through it: anyone can complain that their 'Muslimness' has been attacked. This does not bode well for free speech in our country. Fiyaz Mughal is the Founder of Faith Matters and the national anti-Muslim hate monitoring service, Tell MAMA Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Labour cannot defend their record on free speech while pursuing an Islamophobia law
Sir Keir Starmer was keen to stress Britain's history of freedom of speech in his meeting with Donald Trump at the Oval Office last week. 'We've had free speech for a very long time in the United Kingdom and it will last for a very long time,' the Prime Minister said proudly. He was commenting in response to a comment from the US Vice President JD Vance about 'infringements on free speech' in the UK. This makes it all the more terrifying that the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is pushing to introduce a new Islamophobia law in the UK, which will only restrict legitimate expression. Let me explain why. The term 'Islamophobia' suggests Islam cannot be questioned. It really is as simple as that. I have repeatedly called for the phrase 'anti-Muslim hatred' to be used instead, but this has fallen on deaf ears under the new Government. Why is Labour not providing the same service to other communities, such as Sikh people? Whilst some Sikhs have been attacked because perpetrators have thought they were Muslim, this does not provide a full picture of anti-Sikh hate crimes. We also know that racism and international issues in India also fuel hatred towards Sikhs. Many of these cases go unreported: will the Government step in and help this community? No. Labour does the usual: it forgets other communities in our country in its obsession with defining 'Islamophobia.' Rayner's department talks about transparency and ensuring that 'all voices' will be heard in consultations on the definition of Islamophobia. But why has she not publicly listed the names of those on the committee? How many members of the committee have delivered public reporting services on hate crimes, or discrimination, or on measurable levels of prejudice against British Muslims? Has MHLCG (the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government ) simply filled the committee with talking heads who all know each other and will not rock the boat within the Department? Rayner's definition will be non-binding on statutory agencies. This makes it utterly pointless. It does not have to be accepted by the courts, local authorities or even the police. The existing laws on hate speech, hate crimes and public disorder offences are clear, enforceable and have led to many prosecutions. There is therefore no good reason for Rayner to be spending her time and resources on a definition that is essentially pointless. Let us not forget that the Chair of the 'Council on Islamophobia' – Dominic Grieve KC – wrote a foreword to the APPG on Islamophobia's definition of 2018. That very definition was summarised into the following: 'Islamophobia is… rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness'. This definition is so wide you can drive a coach and horses through it: anyone can complain that their 'Muslimness' has been attacked. This does not bode well for free speech in our country.
Telegraph
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Angela Rayner to promise new definition of Islamophobia
Angela Rayner is to promise to draw up a new official definition of Islamophobia. The Deputy Prime Minister is expected to say on Friday that the Government is committed to 'putting a name' to anti-Muslim hatred and will announce a new council on Islamophobia to advise ministers on an official definition. Dominic Grieve, the former Tory attorney general, is understood to be a frontrunner to chair the council which will advise Ms Rayner's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on tackling a surge in hate against Muslims. He chaired the Citizens' UK Commission on Islam, which aimed to promote dialogue between Muslim and non-Muslim communities and wrote a foreword to a controversial all-party parliamentary group's report in 2018 which set out a definition of Islamophobia subsequently adopted by the Labour party. The definition has been criticised for being so widely drawn that it could threaten free speech, acting as a de facto blasphemy law and stifling legitimate criticism of Islam as a religion. Ministers will have to decide whether to adopt it, subsume elements of it into a new version or come up with a complete alternative. They are said to want the experts to help get a 'better understanding of this unacceptable treatment and prejudice against Muslim communities'. Officials have rejected suggestions that it will be a new blasphemy law and instead argue that it will be 'compatible with the unchanging right of British citizens to exercise freedom of speech and expression'. Mr Grieve has previously acknowledged: 'Defining Islamophobia is extremely difficult for perfectly valid reasons relating to freedom of expression.' However, he said it was also clear that 'perfectly law-abiding Muslims going about their business and well integrated into society are suffering discrimination and abuse'. Surged to record levels The all-party group, co-chaired by Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, published its definition in 2018 after an 18-month consultation. It stated: 'Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.' Anti-Muslim hate surged to record levels last year, according to Tell Mama, an organisation tracking Islamophobia. It confirmed almost 6,000 reports as anti-Muslim incidents, more than double the number two years ago, with men targeted more than women for the first time since the body was founded in 2012. A spokesman for the MCHLG said: 'We are firmly committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including addressing the unacceptable rise in anti-Muslim hatred and will provide further updates on this shortly.'
Telegraph
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Badenoch: Islamophobia definition would create a blasphemy law
Drawing up a definition of Islamophobia would create a blasphemy law 'through the back door', Kemi Badenoch has warned. The Conservative leader said plans being overseen by Angela Rayner to set rules on Islam and free speech risked stifling criticism of religion. Ms Rayner, the Communities Secretary, is planning to set up a 16-strong council on Islamophobia that will advise on creating an official definition of anti-Muslim discrimination. Labour has already adopted an internal definition of Islamophobia, which critics say is too broad and covers legitimate criticism of Islam as a religion. In an interview with the podcast Honestly with Bari Weiss, Mrs Badenoch was asked about a man being charged over the burning of the Koran outside Turkey's London consulate. Challenged by Ms Weiss whether the UK had ' de facto blasphemy laws ', Mrs Badenoch replied: 'We do not have blasphemy laws in this country, but people are behaving as if we do. 'This is not de facto, this is people misunderstanding tolerance. We have to make sure that we do not allow blasphemy laws to come in through the back door.' 'Blasphemy laws through back door' Mrs Badenoch added: 'We see many attempts to bring in effective blasphemy laws through the back door. One of them is about creating a formal definition of Islamophobia. 'When we were in government, we rejected this multiple times. We wanted to talk about anti-Muslim hatred so that we could be clear that it's hatred against people that we will not stand for, not hatred against ideas or religion. 'Freedom of religion also includes freedom to not like or to criticise religion, and that is something I will defend to my dying day.' In a post on X, Mrs Badenoch went on to accuse Labour of 'misunderstanding tolerance' and 'passively accommodating destructive ideas'. 'Our values and culture need defending,' she wrote. 'Conservatives get this. Starmer does not and that's how we'll end up with blasphemy laws through the back door.' Earlier this month, The Telegraph revealed Ms Rayner's plans for an Islamophobia council and that the shortlist of candidates had already been drawn up. Dominic Grieve, a former Tory attorney general, has been 'recommended' to chair the panel in Ms Rayner's department, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Mr Grieve wrote a foreword to a controversial report in 2018 by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims, which set out the Islamophobia definition that Labour subsequently adopted. The definition reads: 'Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.' The report, called Islamophobia Defined, said that 'to characterise Muslims as being 'sex groomers'' would be one possible example of anti-Muslim prejudice that met its definition. The definition put forward by the APPG would also cover 'mendacious, dehumanising, demonising or stereotypical allegations' about Muslims. These include 'conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics' and 'the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism'. Labour adopted this definition of Islamophobia in March 2019, saying it was an 'important statement of principle and solidarity'. It has also been enshrined in the Labour code of conduct by the National Executive Committee, the party's ruling body. 'Look into real issues' British Muslims face Left-wing Labour MPs and Muslim groups urged Sir Keir Starmer to make Islamophobia a specific crime after the Southport riots last summer, in which a far-Right mob attacked a mosque in the Merseyside town. But this was met with warnings that any new legislation would only serve to suppress criticism of religion and freedom of expression. Khalid Mahmood, a senior Muslim Labour politician who was an MP for more than 20 years, is among those urging Ms Rayner against adopting the definition drawn up by the APPG. He has said that the Deputy Prime Minister's new council must instead 'look into the real issues' faced by British Muslims 'instead of just blindly accepting' the 2018 report. Sir Keir was criticised after refusing to immediately rule out the introduction of blasphemy laws in an answer he gave at Prime Minister's Questions last November. Tahir Ali, a Labour backbencher, had asked: 'Will the Prime Minister commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions?' Sir Keir said in response: 'Desecration is awful, and I think it should be condemned across the House. We are committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division including Islamophobia in all its forms.' The following month, Seema Malhotra, an equalities minister, replied 'yes' when asked whether she could 'completely [rule] out the introduction of blasphemy laws '.
