UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Housing Secretary Steve Reed faces calls from 40 MPs to adopt a proper definition of Islamophobia amid a sharp rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes.
As reported by The Guardian, over 30 Labour and independent MPs have urged Steve Reed to define Islamophobia following reports that hate crimes targeting Muslims have surged by almost a fifth.
What did MPs tell Steve Reed about defining Islamophobia?
A letter from Labour MP Afzal Khan, backed by 40 MPs including Diane Abbott, Dawn Butler, Kim Johnson, and independent Andrew Gwynne, urged Steve Reed to define Islamophobia to tackle anti-Muslim hate and prejudice.
The letter states,
“This comes at a time when unfortunately, Islamophobia continues to increase rapidly, with devastating consequences. In 2025, 45% of religious hate crimes were directed towards Muslims. This is a 19% increase.”
It adds,
“This means Islamophobic hate crimes have risen 92% since 2023 and the adoption of a definition by the government becomes more important than ever.”
What did Afzal Khan and the government say about defining Islamophobia?
Afzal Khan has advocated against Islamophobia for 25 years. He urged the Labour government to maintain momentum following the working group set up in February.
He said Muslims face the highest recorded religious hate crimes in the UK, warning the figures show an aggressive shift driven by the far right.
Mr Khan added,
“We urgently need a robust definition that protects people while preserving free speech.”
What did Jonathan Hall say about the official Islamophobia definition?
Independent terrorism reviewer Jonathan Hall KC argued against the official definition, saying it targets a religion instead of protecting against anti-Muslim hatred.
He said a “spongy or inaccurate” definition could risk free speech, with police and officials enforcing it excessively.
Mr Hall stated,
“I am against an Islamophobia definition because it’s directed at a thing, at religion, rather than an anti-Muslim hatred law, which is about protecting people.”
He said,
“I am very conscious about the free speech debate. I’m not JD Vance [the US vice-president], and I have a fundamental support for the outline of the Online Safety Act… So I’m not an absolutist.”
The barrister added,
“But if you see what has happened with a comedian arrested at Heathrow for tweets, there appears to be a sort of degree of zealousness among some parts of law enforcement. And I suppose at the moment I wouldn’t want to trust something too spongy or inaccurate when it comes to [free] speech and expression with the authorities.”
What did Fiyaz Mughal say about the government’s Islamophobia plans?
Fiyaz Mughal, the founder of Tell Mama, stated,
“The independent reviewer of terrorism legislation is absolutely right to oppose the government’s plans to introduce an official definition of Islamophobia.”
He added,
“Former counter-terror police chiefs have warned for years a broad definition could be used by those being investigated by police and the security services to legally challenge those investigations and undermine counter-terrorism powers. By pursuing this, the Government is putting narrow electoral interests ahead of our national security.”
What did the communities department say about Islamophobia definition?
A spokesman for the communities department stated,
“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.”
He added,
“That includes the right to criticise, express dislike of, or insult religions and the beliefs and practices of adherents. The independent working group has been engaging extensively with a wide range of communities and will provide independent, evidence-based advice to Ministers.”
How is the government planning to define Islamophobia?
A government-appointed working group was initiated in February to define
“unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim.”
The working group reportedly submitted its report to Steve Reed this month, outlining a non-statutory definition of Islamophobia.
The draft definition, if approved, will face public consultation, with signatories calling on the Housing Secretary to act during Islamophobia Awareness Month and consult affected communities.
The working group defining Islamophobia is chaired by former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, with members including Akeela Ahmed and cross-bench peer Shaista Gohir.
Ms Gohir criticised the government’s inaction after figures showed anti-Muslim hate crimes increased to 3,199 in the year to March 2025 in England and Wales.
The Labour Party adopted the APPG’s Islamophobia definition for British Muslims in 2019.
This says
“Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
Many organisations, such as Labour, Lib Dems, and Scottish Conservatives, adopted the definition, yet the British government and Conservative Party declined, citing the need for further review.
The Equality Act 2010 recognises Islam as a faith, yet Muslims are not classified as a racial group, leaving them outside protections against racial discrimination.
Britain adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, later backed by all major political parties.
