National Secular Society The government has warned that the term 'Islamophobia' has been used to silence different viewpoints during a House of Lords debate.


Stephen Greenhalgh, minister of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said 'Islamophobia" has been used as a "heckler's veto to shut down alternative opinions".

The warning came in response to an oral question from Mohamed Sheikh about the government's position on adopting a formal definition of Islamophobia.

The minister said the government "utterly condemned the prejudice, discrimination and hatred directed towards British Muslims due to their faith", but criticised definitions of Islamophobia that conflate anti-Muslim hatred with race and fail to deal with issues around sectarianism.

"We need to come up with a way forward that does not compromise free speech, and that is absolutely what we are committed to doing," said the minister.

Speaking during the debate Claire Fox warned that the concept of Islamophobia was "muting any criticism of Islam as a religion and Islamism as a political ideology". She pointed to the "nervousness of politicians from all parties in supporting the Batley Grammar School teacher who was forced into hiding" and cautioned that accusations of 'Islamophobia' were "effectively allowing a default blasphemy law to be snuck in".

Continue reading @ National Secular Society.

‘Islamophobia’ Used To Shut Down Debate, Says Government

National Secular Society The government has warned that the term 'Islamophobia' has been used to silence different viewpoints during a House of Lords debate.


Stephen Greenhalgh, minister of state at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, said 'Islamophobia" has been used as a "heckler's veto to shut down alternative opinions".

The warning came in response to an oral question from Mohamed Sheikh about the government's position on adopting a formal definition of Islamophobia.

The minister said the government "utterly condemned the prejudice, discrimination and hatred directed towards British Muslims due to their faith", but criticised definitions of Islamophobia that conflate anti-Muslim hatred with race and fail to deal with issues around sectarianism.

"We need to come up with a way forward that does not compromise free speech, and that is absolutely what we are committed to doing," said the minister.

Speaking during the debate Claire Fox warned that the concept of Islamophobia was "muting any criticism of Islam as a religion and Islamism as a political ideology". She pointed to the "nervousness of politicians from all parties in supporting the Batley Grammar School teacher who was forced into hiding" and cautioned that accusations of 'Islamophobia' were "effectively allowing a default blasphemy law to be snuck in".

Continue reading @ National Secular Society.

1 comment:

  1. Too late. It is a term that has been allowed to take root and embraced by the left. In terms of phobias, why are concerns or fears about certain aspects of Islam irrational?

    ReplyDelete