Anti-Islamophobia group Tell Mama should face inquiry- Muslim peer

A prominent Muslim peer, Shaista Gohir, is calling for an investigation into Tell Mama, a group that monitors anti-Muslim hate, citing concerns over transparency in its use of public funds. Gohir, who leads the Muslim Women’s Network UK, criticized Tell Mama for not releasing detailed data on anti-Muslim incidents, for failing to speak out when politicians targeted Muslims, and raised questions about whether the organization was being used by the government to monitor extremism.

Tell Mama rejected these claims, labeling the idea that it was used to combat extremism as a “slur” and stating that it follows government reporting procedures without any issues being flagged. The organization, which has been a key partner of the government in tackling Islamophobia for 13 years, recently had its funding paused, sparking fears it might shut down amid rising anti-Muslim hate incidents.

Despite this, Faith Minister Wajid Khan said there were no concerns about Tell Mama’s financial or governance practices. However, the government is now opening up the contract to monitor anti-Muslim hate to other bidders for the first time, without explaining why.

Gohir has raised concerns about Tell Mama in Parliament for over a year, and some other MPs share her unease. Former Conservative chair Sayeeda Warsi, who helped launch Tell Mama, said the group is “unfit for purpose”. Others, like peer Kishwer Falkner, have defended it, calling for continued support for “moderate Muslim groups”.

Tell Mama, run by Faith Matters, has received £6 million in public funds since 2012. It isn’t subject to the same detailed reporting requirements as charities, but its CEO, Iman Atta, said the group is willing to cooperate with any inquiries into how funds are used. She also denied the group had been silent on anti-Muslim political rhetoric or had any links to Prevent, the UK’s counter-terrorism programme.

The government has confirmed Tell Mama will receive funding for its work in 2024-25 and is welcome to apply for future grants. Atta emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to counter rising far-right activity and anti-Muslim hate.