Fears have been raised for freedom of speech after Labour launched a major crackdown on Islamophobia. The Government announced on Monday the creation of an official definition of 'anti-Muslim hostility' and the country's first tsar to tackle it in a £4million drive. The Government also said that the definition – published alongside a long-awaited strategy on social cohesion - is not becoming law and does not mean that all anti-Muslim hostility would constitute a crime. Founder of the Free Speech Union Lord Young pointed out that a previous definition of Islamophobia put forward by a Parliamentary group was also non-statutory but had a 'profoundly chilling effect on free speech'. He went on: 'The fact that the new definition is of 'anti-Muslim hostility' not 'Islamophobia' won't stop it being used to silence legitimate criticism of Muslims or Muslim organisations.

Source: Daily Mail March 09, 2026 23:17 UTC