Representative image (Picture credit: AP)Farage ‘Exposes’ Starmer’s ‘Islamophobia Law In Britain’ Bid Amid Showdown In US House | WatchLONDON: A British Sikh organisation has threatened to take legal action against the UK government over a potential new definition of Islamophobia and the decision to appoint a working group to develop one, pointing out that any government-backed definition risks discriminating against other faiths.The Network of Sikh organisations (NSO), an umbrella body for Sikhs in the UK, has sent a pre-action letter to communities secretary Steve Reed, raising concerns over the impact of any definition on Sikhs and on freedom of religion and speech in Britain.The anti-Muslim hatred/Islamophobia working group was set up in March 2025 to develop a non-statutory definition of Islamophobia to provide the UK government and other relevant bodies with a greater understanding of prejudice against Muslims. The working group received a response to the call for evidence from the NSO. “The concerns they raised have informed the work,” a source said. “Any proposed definition must be compatible with the right to freedom of speech. That includes the right to … insult religions.”A MHCLG spokesperson said, “No decisions on a definition have been made, and we will not accept any definition which damages freedom of speech or discriminates against religious communities.”

Source: The Times October 07, 2025 20:59 UTC