Labour has appointed former Conservative attorney general Dominic Grieve to lead a review into creating a new definition of Islamophobia. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner launched a new working group tasked with understanding and defining hate crime targeted against Muslims. Labour has promised a new definition, after the last Tory government rejected a cross-party proposal in 2019. Critics warned the current definition is too broad and could curb free speech. Grieve said he hoped the review would “help support positive change in our country”. He stated: “We know Islamophobia is as challenging to define as its existence is undoubted. We need to balance addressing the lived experience of those who are victims of it and the right of British Muslims to feel heard and protected as equal citizens of our country, with the unwavering requirement to maintain freedom of thought and expression under law for all.” The review will be non-statutory but will guide the government and others on discrimination against Muslims. The issue has been picked up by the Labour government following a rise in reported incidents of anti-Muslim hate crime in England and Wales. Anti-Muslim hate in the UK surged to record levels last year, according to Tell Mama, which tracks Islamophobia. Tell Mama confirmed almost 6,000 reports of anti-Muslim incidents – more than double the number two years ago. The new working group led by Grieve will provide “guidance to government and other bodies to support further action on tackling religiously motivated hate”.
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