Labour minister signals readiness to overrule Islamophobia definition to safeguard free speech

A Labour minister has signaled the Government would overrule a proposed official definition of Islamophobia if it risks free speech or curtails legitimate criticism of the religion. Communities Secretary Steve Reed said there is no defined proposal yet and that the government would review any plan from the working group with free speech as a priority.

Ministers have begun work on an official definition of Islamophobia in response to a surge in hate crimes against Muslims following the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. The plan to describe “unacceptable treatment, prejudice and discrimination against Muslims” was first put forward by former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. Critics have warned the move could grant Muslims protections beyond those afforded to other faiths, while Labour’s 2018 adoption of a previous Islamophobia definition has been criticized as vague.

Dominic Grieve, the former Tory attorney general, is leading work on the new definition, while the linked debate over vagueness persists from Labour’s 2018 stance. The definition being developed has drawn scrutiny from legal experts who worry it could inadvertently constrain legitimate discourse about Islam or affect how offences are prosecuted.

Labour has faced criticism that any official definition could produce two-tier policing, with enforcement unevenly applied. Tom Cross KC, a member of a panel acting for the Attorney General, warned that Labour’s official definition could deter police from investigating Muslim offenders and risk diluting current legislation that allows defendants to argue remarks were reasonable.

A separate think-tank report has warned that Labour’s approach could hand a “significant new weapon” to a Muslim group seeking to influence media reporting of the religion. The Policy Exchange study accused the Centre for Media Monitoring (CfMM) of pressuring journalists to downplay or ignore Islamist extremism, arguing journalists should avoid terms like “Islamism,” “Islamic extremism” or “Muslim extremism.” It also asserted CfMM, which is linked to the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), should not be engaged with by journalists or regulators.

The MCB has been a focal point of government scrutiny for years, with multiple administrations articulating concerns about its influence on public discourse. Campaigners say formalizing an official definition risks uneven enforcement and potential chilling effects on speech.

The government says the work is ongoing, with no final definition in place, and officials emphasize that protecting free expression remains a priority even as they seek to address concerns about hate crime and discrimination. The timing of the review comes as debates over how to describe and respond to Islamophobia continue to shape the contours of UK anti-hate policy on the world stage.