UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A Muslim peer, Shaista Gohir, questions Tell Mama’s use of public funds and calls for an inquiry over the lack of data and response to anti-Muslim rhetoric.
As reported by The Guardian, a prominent Muslim peer has urged an inquiry into Tell Mama, raising concerns about its financial transparency and use of public money.
What did Shaista Gohir accuse Tell Mama of?
Shaista Gohir, CEO of the Muslim Women’s Network UK, has raised concerns about Tell Mama’s failure to release data on anti-Muslim hate crimes. She also questioned the group’s silence when politicians targeted Muslims.
Ms. Gohir argued that transparency regarding how Tell Mama uses taxpayer funds is essential. She stated,
“We need an inquiry because, if you look at the questions, they’re very simple: how much was spent on salaries? How much was spent on consultancy fees?”
Lady Gohir, a cross-party peer, had been questioning the government in Parliament and through letters to community ministers under the previous Conservative administration for over a year.
How did Tell Mama respond to claims of ties to Muslim extremism?
Tell Mama dismissed the allegations, describing the suggestion that it was secretly tackling Muslim extremism as a “slur.”
The group stated that it regularly reports “according to the government’s due processes” and noted that no concerns had been raised by officials.
For 13 years, Tell Mama has been the government’s main partner in addressing anti-Muslim hatred. The sudden pause in its funding earlier this month has led to worries regarding the group’s closure, especially as anti-Muslim hate incidents rise.
What did Wajid Khan and Sayeeda Warsi say about Tell Mama?
Wajid Khan, the faith minister, stated,
“ministers do not have concerns about financial, structural or governance issues in respect of Tell Mama”.
The government confirmed it would launch an “open bidding process” for the contract that tackles anti-Muslim hatred and assists victims, allowing competition for the first time, including for Tell Mama.
Sayeeda Warsi, a former Conservative Party head and co-founder of Tell Mama, slammed the group, describing it as “unfit for purpose.”
What did Iman Atta say about Tell Mama’s use of public funds?
Iman Atta, chief executive of Tell Mama, stated that the organisation would be “happy to cooperate with anybody regarding the use of public funds.”
Atta rejected Gohir’s accusation that Tell Mama had been silent in the face of negative remarks from politicians targeting Muslims. He cited previous actions taken against former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The group’s CEO also clarified that Tell Mama had never received funding from Prevent, the UK’s counter-terrorism strategy.
She expressed hope that the successful organisation in the open-grant process would proceed with “urgency, dedication, and commitment,” amid rising “far-right movements” and “anti-Muslim hatred.”
Housing Ministry spokesperson’s views on anti-Muslim monitoring
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government stated it was
“committed to providing a comprehensive service to monitor anti-Muslim hatred and provide support for victims.”
The spokesperson mentioned,
“Soon be opening a call for grant applications to ensure we can meet the challenges communities face today,”
with Tell Mama welcome to apply.
How much funding has Tell Mama received and secured for 2024-25?
Over the past 12 years, Tell Mama has received £6 million in government funding. After detailed negotiations, the organisation has secured support for its 2024-2025 work, with further funding on the table.
As a community-interest company, Faith Matters runs the service. It is exempt from the stringent rules that charities face in publishing a detailed breakdown of its spending.
Faith Matters was developed by Fiyaz Mughal in 2007, a former Liberal Democrat councillor. This organisation specialises in interfaith work and conflict resolution. Mr Mughal, who serves as director, also established the Tell Mama project in 2012.
Anti-Muslim hate cases in 2024
According to the latest data, Tell Mama reported 6,313 anti-Muslim hate cases in 2024, marking a 43% increase from last year. Out of these, 5,837 cases were verified.