Forty Labour and independent MPs, including Diane Abbott, Dawn Butler, and Kim Johnson, have written to Housing Secretary Steve Reed urging the government to adopt an official definition of Islamophobia. The letter, spearheaded by MP Afzal Khan, describes the move as an “important step” to tackle rising discrimination and hatred against Muslims.
The MPs highlighted that hate crimes targeting Muslims rose by 19% in 2025, accounting for 45% of all religious hate crimes. According to the letter, this represents a 92% increase since 2023, intensifying the need for a government-backed definition to address the problem.
In February, the government established a working group, chaired by former attorney general Dominic Grieve KC, to propose a non-statutory definition of Islamophobia. The group submitted its report earlier this month, and any adopted definition is expected to undergo public consultation. Critics have voiced concerns over potential impacts on free speech, though the proposed definition is understood to protect the right to criticise Islam.
Labour adopted a definition from the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims in 2019, describing Islamophobia as “rooted in racism”. However, the previous Conservative government declined to adopt it, citing insufficient consensus. Under the Equality Act 2010, Muslims are not recognised as a racial group, leaving them without protection against racial discrimination.
Khan, who has campaigned for over 25 years against Islamophobia, urged the government to act during Islamophobia Awareness Month in November. He noted that Muslims face the highest number of recorded religious hate crimes in the UK, driven by an “aggressive shift” in rhetoric fuelled by the far right.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the department is “carefully considering” the working group’s recommendations and will respond in due course.
