Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Muslim council demands probe into Tory 'Islamophobia crisis'

THE Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has reasserted its demand for an independent probe into Islamophobia accusations against the Conservative Party, after sending a dossier of 300 alleged cases involving Tories to UK’s human rights watchdog.

The dossier sent to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) included claims against the prime minister and his aides, party members, MPs and councillors.


The MCB’s secretary general, Harun Khan, accused the party of being in “denial” over the “systemic” problem of Islamophobia.

He urged the EHRC to take “swift action”, alleging that the watchdog had “failed to give any response” to its formal demand for an inquiry in May last year.

The first dossier had named about 150 people who allegedly displayed Islamophobia, or made anti-Muslim remarks.

The new dossier, with double the number of allegations, included:

* The prime minister’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings playing on “fears of immigration and hate against Muslims” during the Vote Leave campaign.

* MP Dehenna Davison being photographed with a far-right activist, who was spotted in a picture showing him burning a copy of the Koran while posing next to a “f*** P****” message.

* MP Daniel Kawczynski speaking at a conference with far-right leaders.

* MP Karl McCartney retweeting anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson’s posts.

* MP Sally-Ann Hart terming an anti-Islam activist’s article as an “affecting read”.

* Unsavoury comments by Andrew Sabisky, who recently quit as a No 10 adviser, on the UK turning into a “majority Islamic nation” by 2050.

Though the Conservative Party had promised a probe on discrimination in general within the party, but refused a specific independent inquiry into Islamophobia.

“There is no doubt that the Conservative Party has an Islamophobia crisis: it is institutional, systemic and widespread,” Khan told the Mirror. “The party's response has been one of denial, dismissal and deceit.”

He added that it was a case of “clear discrimination against Muslims” because of their religion”.

Said Khan: “The absence of meaningful action by the Conservative Party despite the wealth of evidence makes it all the more important that the EHRC recognises the impact of this level of Islamophobia in our governing party, and takes swift action.”

An EHRC spokesperson said the watchdog was “actively considering what, if any, action we may take in relation to the handling of Islamophobia and other discrimination within the Conservative Party”.

“We are also awaiting the final terms of reference of the party's independent review which we will consider as part of our decision making process,” she added.

The MCB dossier highlighted the prime minister’s “dehumanising and offensive” comments comparing women wearing purdahs to “bank robbers” and “letter boxes”.

Johnson had apologised for “all the hurt and offence” caused to Muslims, and promised a “zero-tolerance approach” towards Islamophobia.

More For You

Milton-Keynes

Eyewitnesses described hearing shouting before the shooting

iStock

Man shot dead by police outside Milton Keynes railway station

A MAN was shot dead by police outside Milton Keynes Central station after reports that he was carrying a firearm.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) said officers were called to the station at 12:55, where they challenged a suspect carrying a knife. The man moved towards officers before police fired at him.

Keep ReadingShow less
EXCLUSIVE: Eastern Eye wins press freedoms to help judges

SCRUTINY: The tribunal’s favourable verdict is an important win for accountability, say current and retired Asian judges (Pic credit: Getty Images/Leon Neal)

EXCLUSIVE: Eastern Eye wins press freedoms to help judges

A tribunal has ordered the body which appoints judges in England and Wales to disclose records it refused to give to Eastern Eye.

The decision is a major victory for press freedoms because it forces the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) to become more open and transparent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sunita-Williams-Reuters

Sunita Williams was part of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission and had been stranded in space for over nine months. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters)

India looks amazing from space, says Sunita Williams

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams described India as "amazing" from space and expressed her intention to visit her "father's home country" to share her experiences on space exploration.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, she responded to a question about how India appeared from space and the possibility of collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Keep ReadingShow less
british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less