More than three dozen Labour and independent MPs have written to the housing secretary calling on the government to adopt a definition of Islamophobia, after recent figures revealed hate crimes against Muslims were up by nearly a fifth.
Forty MPs, including Labour MPs Diane Abbott, Dawn Butler, Kim Johnson and independent Andrew Gwynne, were among the signatories on the letter from Afzal Khan who wrote to Steve Reed on Friday asking him to adopt a definition of anti-Muslim hatred as an “important step” in addressing discrimination, prejudice and hatred the community faces.
“This comes at a time when unfortunately, Islamophobia continues to increase rapidly, with devastating consequences. In 2025, 45% of religious hate crimes were directed towards Muslims. This is a 19% increase,” the letter says.
“This means Islamophobic hate crimes have risen 92% since 2023 and the adoption of a definition by the government becomes more important than ever.”
In February, the government launched a working group to define “unacceptable treatment, prejudice, discrimination and hate targeting Muslims or anyone who is perceived to be Muslim”. It is understood the working group submitted its report earlier this month to Reed, laying out a nonstatutory definition of Islamophobia.
Should it go ahead, the proposed definition is expected to be put to a consultation. Signatories urged Reed to adopt a definition during Islamophobia awareness month in November and to work with communities “who this definition is meant to protect”.
Critics have raised concerns that the definition could limit freedom of speech and the ability to criticise Islam. The Guardian reported earlier this month that the new definition of Islamophobia being considered by ministers is understood to be expected to protect the freedom to criticise Islam.
The working group on the anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia definition is chaired by barrister Dominic Grieve KC, who served as attorney general for England and Wales between 2010 and 2014, and comprises experts and academics such as Akeela Ahmed, a co-chair of the British Muslim Network, and cross-bench peer Shaista Gohir.
Earlier this month, Gohir, who also leads the Muslim Women’s Network, criticised ministers for being “silent” after government figures showed in England and Wales, where 3.9 million people identify as Muslim, anti-Muslim hate crime rose from 2,690 offences to 3,199 in the 12 months to March 2025.
In 2019, the Labour party adopted a working definition of Islamophobia from the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on British Muslims, which included the statement: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”.
The definition was adopted by many organisations including the Labour party, Lib Dems and Scottish Conservatives, but the Westminster government and Conservative party did not follow suit, saying the definition had “not been broadly accepted” and needed further consideration.
Under the Equality Act 2010, Islam is protected as a religion but Muslims are not defined as a racial group, so are not covered by protection against racial discrimination. In 2016, the government adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism, which has been taken up by the main UK parties.
Khan, who has campaigned against Islamophobia for more than 25 years – and for more than 10 of which he has been calling for a definition of Islamophobia – said the Labour government “cannot let the momentum slip” after it established a working group in February.
“Muslims receive the highest number of recorded religious hate crimes in the UK,” said Khan, adding that the figures reflect an “aggressive shift” in the acceptable rhetoric fuelled by the far right.
“We urgently need a robust definition that protects people while preserving free speech,” said the MP for Manchester, Rusholme.
A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “The department is carefully considering the Working Group’s recommendations and we will respond in due course.”
