The Government has adopted a new non-statutory definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” after the Communities Secretary declared ministers have a “duty to act” in the face of what he described as record levels of anti-Muslim hate crime.
Steve Reed told MPs that Muslim communities were currently facing “shocking levels of abuse,” with anti-Muslim hate crimes at an all-time high and now accounting for almost half of all religious hate crimes recorded in Britain — a figure he described as “way out of proportion to the size of our Muslim population.”
Reed outlined the scale of the problem in stark terms, telling the Commons that mosques, schools and businesses had been attacked, women harassed and families left living in fear. “We have a duty to act, but you can’t tackle a problem if you can’t describe it,” he said, announcing the adoption of the new definition.
He said the definition would provide a “clear explanation” of what constitutes unacceptable prejudice, discrimination and hatred directed at Muslims, while also containing safeguards for freedom of expression. “The definition safeguards our fundamental right to freedom of speech about religion in general or any religion in particular and ensures the concerns raised in the public interest are protected,” Reed added.
The definition is non-statutory, meaning it does not carry the force of law but is intended to provide a framework for public bodies, institutions and employers in identifying and responding to anti-Muslim hostility. The Government is expected to set out further details on how the definition will be applied across public services in due course.
