The Cordoba Foundation welcomes all serious efforts to combat rising Islamophobia and to ensure that British Muslims, along with all the diverse communities that make up modern Britain, can live free from discrimination, prejudice and abuse.
However, the Government’s proposed definition of “anti-Muslim hostility” does not go far enough. By narrowing the issue to hostility, it fails to reflect the fuller reality of Islamophobia as experienced by many Muslims across Britain — not only in acts of hatred, but also in exclusion, stereotyping and structural discrimination.
Any government definition intended to tackle anti-Muslim hate must reflect the lived experience of British Muslims and be developed in a way that inspires confidence among the communities most affected. Without that, it is unlikely to command the trust or credibility needed to make a real difference.
The Cordoba Foundation believes that tackling anti-Muslim hate requires clarity, honesty and genuine engagement with Muslim voices. British Muslims deserve a framework that reflects the scale of the problem and addresses it properly.
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