The Labour government is moving to adopt a national 'Islamophobia' definition for public bodies that, critics note, echoes a 2018 text labeling discussion of grooming gangs, demographic concerns, or Muslim Brotherhood 'entryism' as Islamophobic. Even if non‑statutory, embedding such a definition across police, schools, councils, and courts can chill lawful debate and be weaponized in policing and sentencing challenges.
— It shows how soft legal definitions can operate as de facto blasphemy rules, reshaping free speech and law‑enforcement practice without passing a formal censorship law.
Arnold Kling
2025.10.05
67% relevant
Helen Dale’s account of Australia’s hate‑speech litigation (18C) leading a court to rule on the legitimacy of parts of Islamic scripture echoes how 'Islamophobia' definitions and hate‑speech regimes can function as de facto blasphemy rules that constrain lawful debate and force institutions into policing religious content.
Matt Goodwin
2025.09.16
100% relevant
Shabana Mahmood’s past endorsement of the 2018 definition and Tom Cross KC’s warning in The Times that the new definition could undermine policing and equality before the law.
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