UK PM Starmer avoids question on dropping official Islamophobia definition

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced direct questioning in parliament on Wednesday over his government's decision to drop a planned official definition of Islamophobia but did not address the policy reversal. Instead, he offered broad remarks condemning hatred, sidestepping queries from an independent MP who cited several fatal attacks on Muslims in the UK.

MP's Direct Challenge Citing Violent Attacks

Independent MP Shockat Adam pressed the Prime Minister during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session, demanding to know why the Labour Party had abandoned a definition it accepted while in opposition. Adam referenced specific victims of anti-Muslim violence, stating, "Islamophobia is real, at least for Zaynab Hussain in my city, who was run over, not just once, but twice, simply for being a Muslim." He also named Makram Ali, killed outside Finsbury Mosque, and Mohamed Saleem, stabbed to death, asking what had changed to justify dropping the term 'Islamophobia' from official policy.

Starmer's Non-Specific Response

In his reply, Starmer did not engage with the specifics of the definition or the reasons for the policy shift. He stated generally, "Hatred in all its forms should be condemned by all of us in this House," adding that the government intends to act on anti-Muslim sentiment. He provided no details on what actions would be taken or when the issue of a formal definition might be revisited, leaving the question of the government's specific strategy unanswered.

Policy Uncertainty and Advocacy Concerns

The exchange has drawn renewed attention to concerns from Muslim advocacy groups, who argue that the lack of a clear, government-backed definition of Islamophobia creates gaps in policy formulation and law enforcement. The Labour government has not provided a timeline for revisiting the issue, creating uncertainty and highlighting the challenges of translating opposition pledges into government policy on sensitive matters of identity and security.