UK anti-Muslim hate move is welcome but now the real work begins

Earlier this month, the Labour government took the historic step of adopting a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility – seven years after the previous Conservative government committed to doing so.

This definition was developed by an expert working group that spent months tirelessly consulting Muslims and non-Muslims, legal experts, academics, and sociologists. They were tasked with devising a definition that could, as accurately as possible, encompass the structural discrimination, inequality, and exclusion Muslims face in political, social, and civic life.

Anti-Muslim hostility, the preferred terminology used by the government because it more precisely describes the issue, has been defined as “intentionally engaging in, assisting or encouraging criminal acts… that are directed at Muslims because of their religion or those perceived to be Muslim”. This includes situations where the perception is based on assumptions about ethnicity, race or appearance.

It incorporates “prejudicial stereotyping”, treating Muslims or those perceived to be Muslim as “a collective group defined by negative characteristics with the intention of encouraging hatred against them”. This process is known as racialisation and too often leads to the discriminatory targeting of markers of Muslim identity, from thobes and hijabs to beards and brown skin.

The definition also recognises that “engaging in unlawful discrimination” that is “intended to disadvantage Muslims in public and economic life” constitutes anti-Muslim hostility. This is significant, given that in the UK Muslims are more likely to live in poverty; have to submit an average of 60% more job applications to get a positive response from an employer than a white British person, and are even charged more for car insurance if their name is Mohammed, than if their name is John.

Stopping hate

Of course, we already have legislation that provides important protections for everyone, but legislation alone is not enough – especially as much of the hostility many Muslims face on a daily basis falls below the criminal threshold, from being abused on social media for wearing traditional Arab clothes in an ad campaign to being accused of trying to dominate British society by praying in Trafalgar Square.

A UK-wide, government-endorsed, non-statutory definition should form the basis of wider cultural, educational, and preventative efforts necessary to prevent this hatred from becoming further entrenched in our society.

It has not been easy getting to a position where we can now define the racism Muslims face - I know this firsthand. I was one of those involved in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims who first set out to define Islamophobia in 2018, and since then, I’ve lobbied five Prime Ministers and eight Communities Secretaries just to get this definition.

Along the way, far-right activists, Conservative ministers and MPs have shouted from the sidelines about the disastrous consequences of having a definition of the hate Muslims face. They have falsely claimed that it would be a “blasphemy law by the backdoor”, despite specifically protecting people’s freedom of expression to criticise Islam.

Despite all the bad faith actors and misinformation, the Labour government persisted, steadfast in its resolve to do what previous Conservative governments failed to achieve: tackling anti-Muslim hostility.

Whilst it is vital to define a problem in order to address it, this is certainly not the same as solving it.

Rebuilding trust among British Muslims

The next steps will be crucial, not just for rooting out the deep-rooted prejudice and discrimination Muslims face in British society, but also for the Labour Party to rebuild trust within Muslim communities.

The Labour Government has committed £4 million to fund programmes that directly tackle anti-Muslim hostility and to implement this definition. It will also appoint a Special Representative on anti-Muslim hostility to engage with Muslim communities on this, and strengthen the understanding, reporting of, and response to the problem of racism against Muslims.

This is alongside the up to £40 million allocated to security, CCTV, fencing, alarms, and floodlights for mosques, Muslim schools, and community centres in response to an increase in arson, vandalism, and targeting of Muslim spaces.

This couldn’t be more timely. Just last month, in my constituency, someone entered Manchester Central Mosque during the evening Taraweeh prayers held in the holy month of Ramadan, armed with an axe and other weapons. Thankfully, the incident did not escalate, and no one was hurt. However, we might not be as fortunate next time. In fact, just the day after the attempted attack, a Muslim community centre in Worcester was firebombed.

Every year, hate crime statistics are published and broken down by religious group, and every year we read the same repeated headlines: ‘Record levels of hate crimes targeted at Muslims’, ‘Muslims subject to more hate crimes than any other religious group’.

As Muslims, we do not need official statistics to tell us that overall religious hate crime is at an all-time high. We know it, feel it, and live it. While not every Muslim experiences hate crime incidents, all of us face increasing levels of intolerance and prejudice. You do not have to look far or delve too deeply into people’s lives to hear accounts of this.

Just last month, during a football match between Leeds United and Manchester City, Muslim players were openly heckled as they broke their Ramadan fast. These breaks were introduced in 2021, without much fanfare, to support Muslim footballers. However, the incident revealed that while they are often idolised when scoring winning goals, it is not the case when they take a few minutes to observe their faith.

This violence, hate, and prejudice are not what Britain is about. We are not an intolerant society. We believe in the merits of multiculturalism. We recognise that different beliefs and ways of life enrich our communities, not deplete them.

We all have a duty to speak out against hate and division. Whereas previous Conservative governments not only failed to address Islamophobia but also actively encouraged and promoted it, we saw the consequences – a 375% rise in hate crimes against Muslims. Conversely, under a Labour government, we have a Prime Minister who has actively spoken out against the increasing hate directed at Muslims.

Condemnation is just the start of the long journey ahead of us. With this definition in place, the government must now focus its efforts on engaging with the very Muslim community this definition is meant to support, identifying practices in public policy and institutions that discriminate against Muslims, and rooting out the deep-seated racism Muslims in Britain face.

Now the real work begins.

Afzal Khan is the Labour MP for Manchester Rusholme, previously representing Manchester Gorton from 2017. He has held a number of frontbench positions, including Shadow Minister for Immigration and Shadow Business Minister. Prior to becoming an MP, he served as a Member of the European Parliament representing the North West from 2014 to 2017, and was elected to Manchester City Council in 2000. In 2005, he became the first Muslim Lord Mayor of Manchester.

Follow Afzal on Instagram: @afzalkhanmcr

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Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.