Government launches Working Group on Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia Definition
By Abu Yusra Chowdhury and Ahmed J Versi
London, (The Muslim News):
The government has established a new working group to provide a definition of Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, supporting wider efforts to tackle the alarming rise in incidents targeting Muslim communities across the United Kingdom, Friday.
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, announced the initiative as part of the government’s Plan for Change mission for safer streets, with the group expected to deliver a definition within six months.
“The rise in anti-Muslim hate crime is unacceptable and has no place in our society,” said Rayner. “That’s why we’ve committed to defining Anti-Muslim Hatred/Islamophobia, as a crucial step forward in tackling it and creating a society where everyone feels safe and welcome.”
The group will be chaired by Dominic Grieve KC, former Conservative Attorney General, bringing significant legal and government expertise to the role. On accepting the appointment, Grieve expressed his commitment to the role: “I’m happy to take the job. I’m very happy to be doing it with my fellow commissioners. I’m very happy to be doing it under the terms of reference that’s been put forward which are compatible, I think, with trying to meet what I regard as a very real problem, a real issue for Muslims in Britain and at the same time having due regard to freedom of expression,” he told The Muslim News in an exclusive interview.
The remaining members of the commission is yet to be announced, though it is understood members will reflect a diversity of expertise and backgrounds.
Dominic Grieve wrote the foreword to the Islamophobia definition put forward by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims. He described the report as “an important contribution to the debate.”
When asked about the complexity of the task ahead, Grieve acknowledged: “The commission has been set up with very clear terms of reference to look at a definition, and we will do that. It’s also quite clear, as you’ll see from the terms of reference, that the terms of reference are drafted in a way which makes absolutely clear that any definition must not prevent legitimate freedom of expression.”
Recent data underscores the urgent need for such an initiative. In the 2023/24 reporting year, England and Wales recorded 3,866 hate crimes against Muslims, reflecting a 13% increase from the previous year. This rise is part of a broader 25% surge in religious hate crimes, which reached a total of 10,484 incidents.
Tell MAMA, an organisation monitoring anti-Muslim incidents, reported 6,313 cases in 2024, marking a 165% increase since 2022. Street-based incidents rose by 120%, while threatening behaviour escalated by 715% between 2023 and 2024.
Last summer, the UK was engulfed by riots which included attacks on mosques and Muslims, prompting increased security measures at places of worship and heightening fear among Muslim communities.
According to the government’s announcement, members of the working group will engage widely to ensure the definition accounts for the variety of backgrounds and experiences of Muslim communities across the United Kingdom.
The proposed definition will be non-statutory and will provide the government and other relevant bodies with an understanding of unacceptable treatment and prejudice against Muslim communities.
Significantly, the government, echoing Dominic Grieve has specified that the group’s 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.”
This assertion may have been included to head off concerted opposition to any notions of Islamophobia from powerful right wing voices.
Islamophobia, as defined by the APPG on British Muslims in 2018, is “a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” Despite its adoption by political parties such as Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish Conservatives, the previous Conservative government refused to accept it.
The Policy Exchange, a right-wing think tank with significant influence, has consistently opposed the APPG definition. They have published multiple reports criticising the proposed definition, claiming it would hamper counter-terrorism efforts and establish “a blasphemy law via the backdoor by targeting legitimate speech.”
In a recent report, the Policy Exchange claimed that an Islamophobia definition threatens free speech, despite the APPG on British Muslims explicitly stating: “Let us be clear: the aim of establishing a working definition of Islamophobia has neither been motivated by nor intended to curtail free speech or criticism of Islam as a religion.”
Earlier this year, the issue was further inflamed when Conservative Party Leader, Kemi Badenoch, was accused of stoking Islamophobia during Prime Minister’s Questions. Following disinformation spread by Elon Musk about Muslim grooming gangs, Badenoch claimed that child sexual exploitation would not be properly investigated because of the proposed definition.
Initially expected to adopt the APPG definition upon entering office, the Labour government has instead opted to establish this working group to draft an official definition of anti-Muslim discrimination. Faith Minister, Lord Wajid Khan, previously stated that the APPG’s definition does not align with the Equality Act 2010, which defines race based on colour, nationality, and ethnic origins.
When questioned about concerns that the APPG definition might be watered down resulting in something less effective, Grieve responded: “The APPG carried out work which was extremely well meaning and with good intention in my view. That’s why I wrote the foreword to the report. But what we come up with is going to be dependent on what the Commission decides in the light of the evidence we get and how we go about it.”
Spokesperosn for APPG British Muslims responding to the launch told The Muslim News: “The All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims welcomes today’s announcement that the government will begin work on defining Islamophobia.
“Similarly, in 2019, when the Conservative Government announced plans to establish a working definition of Islamophobia, the APPG welcomed the move, recognising the importance of having an agreed definition.
“We hope this announcement will now lead to a timely conclusion, and the APPG stands ready to support the process to ensure a definition is established that protects ordinary British Muslims from all forms of hatred, discrimination and prejudice.”
The Muslim Council of Britain expressed its support for the announcement and said Dominic Grieve ‘consistently demonstrated a principled approach to engaging with Muslim communities and has been a respected voice in discussions about tackling Islamophobia.’
Dr Naomi Green, Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain said:
“We welcome the government’s commitment to addressing the scourge of Islamophobia through this working group. While we are open to any improvements to existing definitions, we hope that the working group will remain vigilant against attempts to water down what has already been developed and widely accepted. The ultimate test of any definition will be whether it effectively protects British Muslims from the direct hatred and discrimination they may individually face in their daily lives and the more structural racism that has been identified within the justice system, media, politics and the workforce.”
“Record levels of anti-Muslim hate crimes demand meaningful action, not just words. We hope this process will lead to concrete measures that make our communities safer and ensure Muslims can practice their faith without fear of prejudice or violence.”
[Photo: Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner. Photo by Lauren Hurley/No 10 Downing Street]
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