THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY has called on prime minister Keir Starmer to abandon plans for an official definition of Islamophobia, warning it could undermine free speech and hinder actions against wrongdoing.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick criticised the proposal, claiming that a "false label" of Islamophobia had obstructed investigations into child abuse grooming gangs involving men of Pakistani heritage.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Jenrick said, “The government should drop its plans for such a deeply flawed definition of Islamophobia.”
Jenrick argued that the label had been used to silence discussions during the grooming gang scandal. “It appears that the government has learnt nothing and is determined to press ahead with a definition that will have a chilling effect on freedom of speech,” he said.
In a social media post, Jenrick further alleged that crimes committed by predominantly British-Pakistani men had been “legalised and actively covered up” to avoid social unrest. He wrote, “The rule of law was abandoned to sustain the myth that diversity is our strength, destroying the lives of thousands of vulnerable white working-class girls in the process.”
Jenrick also linked the issue to mass migration, saying the foreign nationals involved must be deported, while officials who covered up the crimes should face jail time. His comments were partly in response to criticism by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who condemned the UK government’s handling of cases of sexual exploitation from over a decade ago.
Meanwhile, sources in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) reportedly confirmed to The Daily Telegraph that officials were examining a formal definition of Islamophobia. Although non-binding, such a definition would require adoption by organisations.
The debate over defining Islamophobia has been ongoing. In 2018, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims described it as a “type of racism” targeting expressions of Muslimness. Critics, including Fiyaz Mughal of Tell Mama, have raised concerns about the potential misuse of this definition.
“Bad behaviour, wherever it is, needs to be called out. But when issues are concentrated within a certain group, we must uphold our core values,” Mughal told The Daily Telegraph.
The Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) also cautioned against the APPG definition, arguing it could stifle free speech and hinder discussions on issues such as the history of the Indian subcontinent and the persecution of minorities.
“Adopting this contested definition into law would have serious implications on free speech,” the NSO said in a letter to deputy prime minister Angela Rayner last year.
In response, faith minister Lord Wajid Khan acknowledged the complexity of defining Islamophobia and said the government was working on a “more holistic” approach. “We want to ensure that any definition comprehensively reflects multiple perspectives,” he said, adding that further updates would follow.
(With inputs from PTI)
Apsana Begum
