LONDON: The Labour Party has formally adopted a definition of Islamophobia arguing that it is vital to tackle the rise of far-right racism in Britain which is rooted in racism and hatred.
British Pakistani parliamentarians Sayeeda Warsi, Naz Shah and Afzal Khan worked for many months with other parliamentarians to get the definition adopted. The Liberal Democrats have already adopted the same definition.
The Labour Party on Wednesday said its national executive committee has adopted the working definition produced by the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims “to help tackle Islamophobia, build a common understanding of its causes and consequences, and express solidarity with Muslim communities”.
The definition reads: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
The definition was produced by the group to build a common understanding of the causes and consequences of Islamophobia. It was decided upon after a six-month consultation with academics, lawyers, elected officials, Muslim organisations, activists, campaigners, and communities.
More than 800 British Muslim organisations, 80 academics and 50 MPs have backed the definition.