Labour’s plans to rebrand ‘Islamophobia’ as ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ is ‘more dangerous’, new report warns

Labour’s plan to rebrand ‘Islamophobia’ as ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ in an official government definition is ‘more dangerous’ and risks ‘thought control’, it has been warned.

The Government is set to scrap its Islamophobia definition in favour of the new phrase in a bid to head off claims that it is creating a blasphemy law by the back door.

But the move risks creating an even broader term, a report by the think-tank Policy Exchange said.

It could then be exploited by some Muslim groups seeking to influence political debate on issues such as immigration and counter-terrorism, the paper suggested.

Free speech campaigners have argued that special protections for the Muslim faith would prevent legitimate criticism of the religion and risking creating a de facto blasphemy law.

The new report, published today, warned: ‘A definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” is, in fact, at least as broad and dangerous as one of “Islamophobia”, possibly more so.

‘And because the term lacks (for now) the same negative political connotations, it is also more deployable by activist groups.

‘The dictionary definition of “hostility” includes “not liking” something, “not agreeing” with it or being “opposed” to it.’

Baroness Falkner backed the new report and warned the new ‘anti-Muslim hostility’ proposals being considered by Labour could lead to a ‘thought control problem’

Its conclusions were backed by Baroness Falkner, who served as chairwoman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission until last year.

‘I welcome this valuable report and agree with it that the proposed definition is even worse than anticipated,’ she said.

‘It is dangerous and divisive.

‘That it will become a free speech and thought control problem is immediately evident.

‘If there is one policy that cries out for another government U-turn, it is this.’

Separately, the move could affect plans by police chiefs to scrap ‘non-crime hate incidents’, which have led to a series of cases which saw members of the public arrested for making what others regarded as offensive remarks.

The report said: ‘It is easy to see how a definition could become ‘non-crime hate incidents Mark Two’, at least for non-crimes involving Muslims, used to pressure police forces, local authorities, employers or other bodies to record or sanction incidents of “anti-Muslim hostility”.’

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has previously expressed reservations about the introduction of a new ‘Islamophobia’ definition

It added: ‘Giving Muslims special protections not available to others will be disastrous for them, and for everyone else.

‘It will fuel, not diminish, hostility towards Muslims.

‘It will empower divisive extremes – both in Muslim communities, by creating new opportunities for challenge, grievance and attack in every institution and workplace.’

Communities Secretary Steve Reed is finalising the new definition based on recommendations from an advisory group, headed by Dominic Grieve, the former Tory attorney general.

Last September Shabana Mahmood, Britain’s first female Muslim Home Secretary, indicated her reservations about the move.

She said: ‘It might be the case that everyone is safer when you’re all subject to the same law.’