Despite the alarming rise in antisemitism, British MPs want to protect members of the Muslim community.
Over forty MPs have signed a letter calling on the British government to "adopt a definition of Islamophobia" and protect members of the Muslim community living in Britain. The letter is an initiative of the Pakistani-born Labour MP Afzal Khan.
In the letter, dozens of MPs demand the adoption of a definition of anti-Muslim hatred as "an important step in addressing the discrimination, prejudice and hatred faced by the Muslim community."
The letter comes after recent figures showed a twenty percent increase in the number of crimes against members of the Muslim community in Britain. “This comes at a time when, sadly, Islamophobia continues to grow rapidly, with devastating consequences. In 2025, around 45 percent of religiously motivated hate crimes were directed at Muslims. This is an increase of 19 percent. This means that Islamophobic hate crimes have increased by 92 percent since 2023. The adoption of a definition of Islamophobia by the government is more important than ever,” the letter to the UK government said.
The signatories called on the UK Housing and Urban Development Secretary, Steve Reed, to adopt a “definition of Islamophobia” during Islamophobia Awareness Month, which is observed in the UK in November. Critics of the letter argue that if a definition of Islamophobia is adopted, it will prevent people from criticizing Islam and effectively undermine freedom of expression.