by Hardeep Singh, spiked
The new ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ definition is an insult to those of all other faiths and none.
The UK’s Labour government announced its definition of ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ earlier this month – a long-anticipated move, informed by the advice of an opaque working group, and designed to protect followers of Islam from something vaguely described as ‘hostility’. Alongside the definition, the government also announced plans to appoint a new ‘anti-Muslim hostility tsar’.
Labour’s move is as cynical as it is predictable. It mooted the introduction of a contentious new definition of ‘Islamophobia’ in the run-up to the 2024 General Election. These proposals came in for heavy criticism. The threat they posed to free speech was all too obvious. And so the definition of ‘Islamophobia’ was parked, until it was revived recently under the new guise of ‘anti-Muslim hostility’. That it has arrived now is largely down to Labour’s defeat last month in the Gorton and Denton by-election, where the victorious Green Party hoovered up the traditionally Labour-leaning Muslim vote. Keir Starmer et al have clearly decided that, if their party is to have any future in certain seats, they need to appeal to Muslim voters and fast.
Ministers have tried to reassure the public that the new definition does not grant Muslims ‘preferential treatment’. But who are they kidding? Singling out one religious group for unique protections is a clear sign it’s being treated preferentially compared with other faiths.