by Camilla Turner, Telegraph
Ministers have been accused of a “stitch-up” over the Islamophobia definition.
It is feared the definition – which treats Islamophobia as a type of racism – will be so expansive that it could threaten free speech, act as a de facto blasphemy law and stifle legitimate criticism of Islam as a religion.
Critics have claimed that they have been shut out of the consultation process.
Proposals for an Islamophobia definition are being considered by Steve Reed, the Communities Secretary. But officials at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have refused to release the definition to the Free Speech Union, arguing that ministers need “a safe space” to “consider policy options in private”.
It has since transpired that certain “hand-picked” organisations have been invited into the department to view and discuss the definition behind closed doors.
Lord Young, the general secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: “It’s a bit rich of MHCLG to refuse to disclose the definition on the grounds that ministers need ‘a safe space to consider policy options in private’, given that ministers and their aides have been showing it to various hand-picked groups of supporters.
“Either it’s confidential or it isn’t – and if it isn’t, why can’t they share it with us?