Labour has torn up the wording of an official definition of Islamophobia amid concerns about free speech, it has emerged.
Ministers formed a working group aimed at defining Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred in February, in a bid to stem rising numbers of hate crimes against Muslims.
But critics of the effort to create a new legal definition for Islamophobia raised concerns that doing so could create blasphemy laws by the back door.
They also voiced fears it could curtail speech about Islamic extremism.
The Government working group will now aim to focus on defining ‘anti-Muslim hate’ instead of Islamophobia, according to The Telegraph.
The review of the definition, led by former Conservative minister Dominic Grieve, is said to have moved away from using the words ‘Islamophobia’ and ‘Muslimness’.
New wording will aim to define hatred towards Muslims, but also protect free speech, the newspaper reported.
Crossbench peer Baroness Gohir, one of the experts on the working group, said she expected the public to be ‘pleasantly surprised’ when the review concludes.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed is reported to have received the final wording of the new definition to make a decision on it
Lady Gohir, who is also chief executive of the Muslim Women’s Network UK, added: ‘I expect those who opposed the already existing definitions for being too vague, or because they felt these prevented criticism of Islam or debate of other issues of concern to them, will want ministers to adopt ours, as I believe it resolves those concerns.’
She also warned that if the group’s wording is not adopted, the current ‘problematic’ definition will continue to be used.
While in opposition, Labour adopted a definition of Islamophobia – as drawn up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims – into its code of conduct of party members.
This said Islamophobia is ‘rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness’.
But the APPG definition was rejected by the previous Tory government who said the wording needed ‘further careful consideration’ and had ‘not been broadly accepted’.
Tory MP Claire Coutinho, the shadow minister for equalities, hit out at the ‘secrecy’ over the new definition being drawn up by the Government’s working group.
She said: ‘In the weeks after an Islamic terror attack that saw two Jewish people killed, and just after Muslim Vote MPs campaigned to ban Israeli football fans from Aston Villa, we need to acknowledge that this definition risks having a chilling impact on our public sector bodies at exactly the wrong time.
‘The whole process has been characterised by secrecy. They’ve tried to cook this up behind closed doors with radical activists, some of whom previously said that even talking about the grooming gangs was an example of anti-Muslim racism.
‘They must publish this proposed definition and the responses from the public consultation they were forced into.
‘Anti-Muslim hatred, like any form of hate, has no place in Britain. However, we cannot silence legitimate debate.’
A spokesman for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: ‘We do not comment on leaks.
‘The department is carefully considering the working group’s recommendations, and no decisions have been made.
‘We will always defend freedom of speech, including fiercely protecting the right to criticise, express dislike of, or insult religions and the beliefs and practices of those who follow them.
‘This will remain at the front of our minds as we review the definition.’
When the working group was launched at the end of February, it said it aimed to deliver a new definition within six months.
Communities Secretary Steve Reed is reported to have received the final wording of the new definition to make a decision on it.
