Labour has given up on its attempt to come up with an official definition of ‘Islamophobia,’ which would have done further damage to the already weakened state of free speech in Britain, and is instead focussing its attention on so-called ‘anti-Muslim hate.”
The government’s new definition will remove all references to “Muslimness,” according to The Daily Telegraph. But the paper insists that ministers should abandon their attempts to define ‘Islamophobia’/’anti-Muslim hate’ altogether because “there are already laws that protect anyone from racial and religious discrimination.”
Campaigners at the Free Speech Union have welcomed Labour’s decision, but also warned that “this may just be a cynical rebadging exercise” since the government’s definition of ‘anti-Muslim hatred’ has not been made public.
We are cautiously optimistic, but stand ready to legally challenge any definition likely to have a chilling effect on free speech.
We welcome the Labour Party's decision, as reported in the @Telegraph, to abandon @AngelaRayner's misbegotten attempt to come up with an official definition of ‘Islamophobia’ and then roll it out across public bodies. We’ve been campaigning against that for months and we’d like…
Tory frontbencher Claire Coutinho likewise stressed that “this isn’t the end of our campaign,” adding: “Any limits on free speech or the ability to tackle sensitive issues must be rejected.” That said, her own party’s record on free speech is hardly worth celebrating.
The Labour Party previously devised a definition of ‘Islamophobia’ for its own membership, which read:
Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.
Critics said this was too broad and would act as an effective blasphemy law.
Responding to reports that references to ‘Islamophobia’ and ‘Muslimness’ had been dropped, Reform deputy leader Richard Tice said the government should go further and end its plans for an official definition rather than placate “the smallest of fringe views while the public screams out for improvements to the NHS and a reduction in immigration.”
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
