UK Conservative Party must be 'serious' about tackling Islamophobia, says Labour opposition

The governing UK Conservative Party must show it is "serious" about tackling Islamophobia, said Labour Party Chair Anneliese Dodds after a series of fresh accusations over the Tories' failures to support British Muslim communities. 

The Labour MP wrote to her Conservative peer Nadhim Zahawi at the start of Islamophobia Awareness Month calling on the government to do more to stamp out anti-Muslim hatred on the rise in the UK. 

The former shadow chancellor said the Tories must establish a working definition for Islamophobia and implement it in full, according to the recommendations from the Singh Investigation.

That probe found evidence of "anti-Muslim sentiment" across the Conservative Party. 

Anneliese Dodds wrote on Twitter: "The Conservatives are in denial about Islamophobia in their own ranks. 

"Bizarrely, they can't even use the term Islamophobia." 

The Conservatives are in denial about Islamophobia in their own ranks.

Bizarrely, they can't even use the term Islamophobia.

As anti-Muslim hate crime is rising year on year this isn't good enough. I've written to @nadhimzahawi demanding action. https://t.co/78JC2R6730

— Anneliese Dodds 💙 (@AnnelieseDodds) November 7, 2022

The Conservatives rejected a formal definition of Islamophobia from the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019.

This definition, accepted by the Labour Party, states: "Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness."

Instead, the UK Tories said they would set up an inquiry to establish their own working definition.

Muhammad Asim, appointed to lead the inquiry, later claimed his communications with government officials were ignored. Asim was sacked in June after allegedly backing protests over the screening of a controversial film depicting the Prophet Muhammad's daughter.

Last week, reports emerged that the Tory party had quietly dropped efforts to establish a working definition for Islamophobia, with Communities Secretary Michael Gove actively against any official terminology.

Dodds said "denial" over the issue was not a "good enough" response. 

The New Arab has sought confirmation from Dodds' office on whether the Tories replied to her letter, but has yet to receive a response.

Hate crimes against Muslims in the UK have skyrocketed in recent years, with more than 2,000 incidents recorded in the year ending March 2020, according to data released from the Home Office this October. 

Just under half of the total religious hate crimes recorded were against Muslims, who make up roughly 5% of the UK population.