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3mo ago

Angela Rayner's Proposed Islamophobia Council Faces Criticism Over Free Speech Concerns

Labour's plan to establish a council on Islamophobia and define anti-Muslim discrimination sparks debate over potential impacts on free speech and religious criticism.

Angela Rayner heads the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the council would sit within her portfolio

Overview

  • Angela Rayner, Deputy Prime Minister, is moving forward with plans to create a 16-member advisory council on Islamophobia to address anti-Muslim discrimination and hate crimes.
  • Dominic Grieve, a former Conservative attorney general, has been recommended to chair the council, though he has not yet received a formal approach.
  • Critics, including Muslim leaders and opposition politicians, warn the proposed definition of Islamophobia could stifle legitimate criticism of Islam and act as a de facto blasphemy law.
  • The definition under consideration, adopted by Labour in 2018, describes Islamophobia as rooted in racism and targeting expressions of 'Muslimness,' but has faced backlash for its broad scope.
  • Anti-Muslim hate crimes have reached their highest levels in 14 years, with 4,971 incidents recorded between October 2023 and September 2024, according to monitoring group Tell Mama UK.