by Charles Hymas, Telegraph
Head of communities ministry launches review following accusations of ‘cover-up’ over anti-Muslim hostility policy
A top civil servant has ordered a review of his department’s decision to destroy evidence submitted to devise a new Islamophobia definition.
Will Garton, the interim permanent secretary at Angela Rayner’s Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, said he had asked officials to “undertake further work” related to the decision to delete all submissions to its working group.
Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, previously claimed that the deletion of the evidence had given an impression that the department had been trying to “cover up” whether extremist organisations had influenced the process.
Opponents have claimed that creating an official definition of Islamophobia could constrain free speech by introducing a blasphemy law by the backdoor.
In a letter to Mr Timothy, Mr Garton said the “further work” was designed to ensure that the department’s response addressed “all relevant issues raised”.
He said no ministers had been involved in the decision to delete the submissions, and that the non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility would not limit free speech.