Nadine Osman
Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, informed Parliament that the UK Government is “actively considering” its approach to defining Islamophobia, following far-right riots on September 2.
Rayner, who also serves as Communities Secretary, criticised the previous government for “stoking division” and committed to addressing community cohesion issues.
In 2019, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims developed a definition of Islamophobia, describing it as “rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
However, the Prime Minister’s Deputy Spokesperson was less forthcoming about the definition of Islamophobia, stating to The Muslim News, “The work is ongoing. There are no updates at this time.”
Afzal Khan, Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme, had previously written to Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, urging him to engage with Muslim community leaders and officially adopt the APPG’s proposed definition of anti-Muslim prejudice.
Khan expressed that the riots had caused “fear and distress” among his constituents and the broader Muslim community across the UK. He inquired about the Government’s engagement with these communities. Rayner responded that her department is “at the heart of the Government’s work to restore order and unity.”
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson asked about the Government’s definition of Islamophobia. The response emphasised that any new definition must be carefully considered to ensure it reflects multiple perspectives and accounts for potential implications for different communities.
The Government is actively reviewing its approach to Islamophobia, including definitions, and will provide further updates in due course.
Rayner replied: “A new definition must be given careful consideration so that it comprehensively reflects multiple perspectives and considers potential implications for different communities.
“And we’re actively considering our approach to Islamophobia, including definitions, and we’ll provide further updates in due course.”
Shadow Communities Secretary Kemi Badenoch inquired whether Rayner had read a review by Dame Sara Khan on threats to social cohesion and democratic resilience.
The report made several recommendations, including that the Government should publish a five-year Social Cohesion strategy and actively engage with local authorities in areas where there is concern that certain actions could lead to serious conflict, violence, or undermine social cohesion—such as issues related to asylum dispersal.
Rayner told the Commons: “The Khan review into social cohesion is one part and element of what we need to do to get back to addressing the issues of community cohesion, as opposed to the divisiveness in the way in which the previous government looked at community cohesion.
“What I’d like to see, instead of the language and tone that we’ve seen from the (opposition) benches, is actually about the tone that (Badenoch) previously took around how we can bring communities together, how we can work together to ensure that people can respect people’s differences and celebrate what makes us British.”
Photo: Angela Rayner Deputy Prime Minister, and Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government. (Credit: UK Parliament)
