Here’s a rewritten version at about 460 words, with clear structure and a neutral news tone:
Failing to adopt a formal definition of anti-Muslim hostility would send a damaging signal to British Muslims that their safety is not a priority, a senior charity figure has warned, amid concerns from critics that such a move could conflict with existing law.
Shaista Gohir, a crossbench peer and chief executive of the Muslim Women’s Network, was part of a government-backed working group on anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia launched in 2025. The group was tasked with setting out what constitutes unacceptable treatment, prejudice and discrimination towards Muslims.
A proposal submitted to ministers last October is understood to have recommended a non-statutory definition of “anti-Muslim hostility”, rather than using the terms Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred. Lady Gohir said the aim was to protect people within the framework of current legislation, and she criticised Downing Street’s handling of the issue as hate crime figures showed offences against Muslims rose by nearly a fifth in 2025.
“Every group has the right to be protected, and the only reason we are asking for this is because of the scale of abuse,” Gohir said, pointing to an increase in personal attacks. “With another election coming in a few years, it’s only going to get worse.”
Her comments come as new research suggests many British Muslims feel pessimistic about their future in the UK. The Muslim Census report, The Crisis of Belonging, found only 8.2% felt positive about what lies ahead, while almost two-thirds said they felt negative. Just over half said they strongly belonged in the UK, a sharp fall from levels reported a decade ago. Respondents cited Islamophobia, the political climate, feeling unwelcome, and job security as major concerns.
Further analysis of financial wellbeing and belonging showed Muslim women are particularly affected. A recent Commons women and equalities committee report concluded they are disproportionately exposed to hostility and abuse, with rising online, verbal and physical attacks harming individual lives and weakening community cohesion.
However, the push for a definition has met resistance from some faith groups and policy organisations. Critics argue it could restrict freedom of expression or limit the ability to criticise Islam. The Conservative thinktank Policy Exchange warned it might be used to challenge counter-terrorism laws, immigration rules and foreign policy. The Equality and Human Rights Commission has also opposed adopting any definition, saying it risks creating legal confusion.
“Legal protections already exist against discrimination and hate crime, so it is unclear what role a new definition would play,” an EHRC spokesperson said, warning it could conflict with current legal provisions.
Under the Equality Act 2010, Islam is protected as a religion, but Muslims are not classed as a racial group for the purposes of racial discrimination law. Labour adopted a working definition of Islamophobia in 2019, and it has since been taken up by several organisations and parties, though the UK government has not followed suit.
The working group is chaired by barrister Dominic Grieve KC, a former attorney general, and any proposed definition would be subject to consultation.
Gohir said a definition would not curb free speech but instead give police and institutions a clearer tool to assess hostility and encourage victims to report abuse. “If a definition is rejected,” she said, “it sends a message that Muslim communities — and their safety — simply don’t matter.”
