Overview
- The government has dropped the terms 'Islamophobia' and 'hatred' in favour of defining 'hostility' toward Muslims, covering physical, verbal, written and electronic expressions.
- Policy Exchange’s report, False Compromise, argues the 'hostility' framing is at least as broad as 'Islamophobia', could chill legitimate criticism of religion, and may confer special protections beyond existing law.
- The report and commentators warn the approach could pressure police, councils and employers to record or sanction non-criminal incidents, effectively reviving 'non-crime hate incidents'.
- Former Equality and Human Rights Commission chair Baroness Falkner calls the proposal dangerous and divisive and urges a reversal, citing a looming free speech and thought-control problem.
- Communities Secretary Steve Reed is reported to be finalising the text based on Dominic Grieve’s advisory group, while earlier comments from Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood signalled reservations about special protections.