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The head of the Free Speech Union has voiced objections to the government’s proposed definition of Islamophobia, warning it could restrict open debate and threaten equal treatment under the law.
Conservative peer Lord Young of Acton expressed concern that if the new definition were included in official guidance to police or public bodies, it could lead to a “two-tier justice system.”
Lord Toby Young, who leads the Free Speech Union, has long cautioned against adopting formal definitions of Islamophobia, arguing that such moves could have a "chilling effect" on freedom of expression.
In February, the Government established a working group tasked with crafting a definition of Islamophobia and addressing anti-Muslim hate. The decision followed a record rise in Islamophobic incidents in 2024.
Although the forthcoming definition will not carry legal weight, it is intended to inform Government policy and guide relevant organisations on recognising and responding to discrimination and prejudice against Muslim communities.
The group is chaired by former Attorney General Dominic Grieve KC and is expected to present its recommendations within six months.
During a recent House of Lords session, Lord Young sought assurance that any resulting definition would not be incorporated into police or judicial guidance. He also asked Prisons Minister Lord Timpson to confirm that anti-Muslim hate would not receive preferential treatment compared to other forms of hate crime.
Lord Timpson responded by stating that the Lord Chancellor is committed to reviewing all policies to ensure they align with the principle of equality before the law.
Concerns about the proposed definition have also come from Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, who previously warned that it could amount to introducing a "blasphemy law by the back door."
Christian Concern’s head of public policy, Tim Dieppe, echoed those fears in a Free Speech Union briefing, arguing that promoting the concept of Islamophobia risks stifling legitimate criticism of a particular religion, unlike other belief systems. He emphasised that acknowledging these concerns should not be equated with endorsing prejudice against Muslims.
Several UK political parties — including Labour, the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Scottish Conservatives, Plaid Cymru, and Scottish Greens — have already adopted a definition of Islamophobia put forward by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2018. That definition states: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
However, in the same Free Speech Union briefing, renowned scientist and author Richard Dawkins criticised the definition, calling it "incorrect" to equate Islamophobia with racism.
“You cannot convert to or leave a race, but you can convert to or leave a religion,” Dawkins said. “If Islam were a race, then apostasy would be impossible — yet some believe it is punishable by death. This contradiction highlights why calling Islamophobia a form of racism is fundamentally flawed.”
