
Rayner backs down in Islamophobia free speech row
The Deputy Prime Minister has expanded and extended a public consultation over the proposals, which critics fear will rubber-stamp a controversial definition.
The consultation will now run for an extra week and a link for responses to the plans has been made public.
The move followed complaints by the Free Speech Union (FSU), which said the new definition was being drawn up behind closed doors.
The FSU wrote to Ms Rayner expressing concern that the process would enshrine a definition which treats Islamophobia as a type of racism.
The definition has been criticised for being so expansive that it could threaten free speech, act as a de facto blasphemy law and stifle legitimate criticism of Islam as a religion.
In his letter, Lord Young, the general secretary of the FSU, said the consultation questions appeared to be 'heavily weighted' in favour of a 'predetermined outcome', endorsing a definition 'closely aligned' with that put forward by the all party parliamentary group (APPG) on British Muslims.
The APPG definition was adopted by Labour and stated that 'Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness'.
Lord Young said key groups that might challenge the definition over its impact on free speech and provide alternative views had not been invited to submit evidence.
He listed Christian Concern, the Christian Institute, the Adam Smith Institute, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Ms Rayner's department has extended the deadline to July 20 and widened the consultees. Lord Young said it needed to give sufficient time to take on board all the responses to the plan.
Lord Young said: 'I'm glad the working group has abandoned its plans to confine its consultation to a small group of hand-picked activists in response to my letter.
'But given that the group will now be carrying out a proper consultation and extending the deadline, I trust it will delay coming up with a definition of Islamophobia until it has had a proper chance to consider all the responses.
'Hoping to complete its work within a couple of months is now completely unrealistic.'
A spokesman for Ms Rayner's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: 'The independent working group is listening to a broad range of views and perspectives.
'The call for evidence will enable them to build on the extensive consultation already undertaken, ensuring the advice provided to Government reflects diverse experiences and opinions, while also safeguarding our vital and unwavering right to freedom of speech.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
38 minutes ago
- The Independent
How Angela Rayner has become the most influential figure in Starmer's government
As Keir Starmer gathered his top ministers for a special away day in Chequers for a team-building reset on Friday, one figure arrived in a much more powerful position than she was in just two weeks ago. It is now widely recognised by Labour MPs, across the different wings of the party, that deputy prime minister Angela Rayner 's influence in this government is greater than almost anybody else. Certainly more than the wounded chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has been beset by economic woes, and even more than health secretary Wes Streeting who, like Rayner, has been tipped as a future contender for the leadership. She was, though, completely unprepared for the shot fired by the Unite union, after its general secretary announced it had suspended her membership for failing to resolve the Birmingham refuse collectors dispute. But while a trade union that looks set to peel off and back Jeremy Corbyn's new party gave her a headache, Ms Rayner nevertheless is enjoying a surge in influence – for now. Welfare rebellion The biggest reason for her rise is the result of the welfare rebellion just over a week ago. As one party whip put it: 'There's nobody more powerful in the government than Angela at the moment. 'She was the one who brokered the deal with Labour rebels, she was the one who talked people off the ledge from voting against the government.' As another ally pointed out that she did not even want the disability cuts and had already sent a leaked memo to Ms Reeves suggesting wealth taxes instead of austerity. Now, after last Wednesday's PMQs, it seems like the government has no option but to raise taxes. But the turnaround for Ms Rayner actually started with her holdout in the spending review, where she got a £39bn for housing and more than expected for local government. A spot of union bother Some may see the recent decision by Unite the union to suspend her membership (even though she left the union in April) as a problem. But behind the scenes it has confused people on the left and other unions, who believe Ms Rayner has turned Starmer's government leftward on disability benefits and steering through the bill on workers' rights. As a TUC source noted: 'The main metric we are judging this government by is the workers' rights legislation and that is on course.' Unite took action because of her position on the Birmingham bins strike. But an ally of Ms Rayner said: 'It's wild! They know full well that Angela cannot directly intervene in the way that they say, and to attack one of the few remaining cabinet members who is standing up for workers rights and real labour values is simply mad.' However, it remains to be seen if the escalating clash with Unite will halt Ms Rayner's rise. A rival court to Downing Street How the tide can turn. Just over a month ago, there was talk about Ms Rayner being demoted and losing the housing part of her portfolio. Now there is speculation in Westminster that the deputy prime minister could soon have her own official office, with its own staff and comms team. There is some scepticism, especially over what it would mean for Sir Keir himself and his chief of staff Morgan McSweeney. As one ally of Ms Rayner noted: 'Morgan will hate the idea and do everything he can to stop it. An Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) would create a rival court, an alternative centre of government.' The last person to have an ODPM was John Prescott under Tony Blair, but unlike Ms Rayner, Prescott was never seen as a candidate to replace Sir Tony. All about the leadership There is still a lot of fevered speculation about whether Sir Keir can survive as prime minister. The image of his chancellor in tears while he failed to guarantee her future this month became the image of a government spiralling out of control after just a month. There are many waiting to see the results of the elections in Scotland, Wales and English councils next May to decide whether to launch a putsch. If he is forced out, Ms Rayner is now the clear favourite to take over, despite her protestations that she does not want the job. Beware the 'Rayner's rise' trap While Ms Rayner is on top at the moment, there is some speculation that the spending review with Ms Reeves has laid a trap for her much more problematic than the issues with Unite. In getting her cash for local government and housing it appears that the deputy prime minister has signed up to council tax rises of 5 per cent. At the housing and local government select committee hearing this week in the Commons she denied that the increase was 'baked in', but MPs from her own party and the opposition were not convinced at all. The Independent has been told that already the term 'Rayner's rise' is being used for hefty council tax increases not seen since the Blair era two decades ago. Back in the Blair government it was Prescott and his Office of the Deputy PM which took the brunt of the anger over rising bills - it will be the same for Ms Rayner. Among her allies there is genuine concern that Ms Rayner's opponents inside and outside the party are 'preparing to weaponise' it as an issue when council tax bills land at the end of the year. There are fears that it will not take much to turn the public against her.


Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
UK Islamic summer camp ‘risks radicalising children'
A summer camp sponsored by an Islamic charity accused of backing Iran could expose children to extremist views, it has been claimed. The camp, run by the Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission (AIM) charity, is aimed at children aged nine to 14, with activities including climbing and abseiling along with 'lectures and discussions'. AIM describes Camp Wilayah, which is set to take place in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, next month, as an 'amazing place to enjoy the outdoors, make new friends, learn and build on Islamic values'. It promotes the four-day camp as 'a unique opportunity to explore your true potential amidst the serenity of nature and an Islamic ambience!' Girls who attend are required to wear the hijab and are segregated from the boys, other than for daily prayers, talks and a team photo. In an indication of the kinds of activities children at Camp Wilayah are likely to take part in, one AIM video posted on Instagram shows a group of young boys and girls drawing and colouring in Palestinian flags and watermelon symbols. The children, described as Mahdi's Little Believers, can also be seen making kites – in an apparent reference to the paragliders used by Hamas on October 7 to attack southern Israel. Legal lobby group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) criticised the activities shown as 'symbolically connecting very young children with nationalist resistance. This exploitation of cultural education is a way of embedding ideological allegiance at a formative age'. In social media posts AIM, based in Cricklewood, north-west London, repeatedly praises the leader of Iran's theocratic regime, Ayatollah Khamenei, declaring that his books are 'an excellent source of knowledge and a great read', and refuses to condemn Hamas. It also posted material shortly after the October 7 attacks stating that 'the Zionists brought this disaster upon themselves'. There are now calls for Camp Wilayah to be banned over 'urgent safeguarding and counter-extremism concerns' for the children attending. UKLFI warned that it 'is being hosted by a group that openly promotes the revolutionary Islamist ideology of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei'. It has written to Brent council, where AIM is based, and Hertfordshire council, where Camp Wilayah is to be held, warning councillors: 'There is compelling reason to believe that the event may be used as a platform to radicalise children, incite hatred or violence, and glorify terrorist ideology.' The group goes on to claim that 'of particular concern is AIM's use of social media to disseminate extremist content that is anti-Semitic and conspiratorial'. One video, titled 'Know Thy Enemy' features a speaker describing Jews as the 'harshest', 'squatters', 'settlers' and 'violent', while accusing Israel, the so-called 'squatter state', of having a policy of murdering children. It also calls moderate Muslims who may be tolerant of Israel 'filth'. 'Other posts glorify and encourage martyrdom and justify Hamas's 7 October 2023 atrocities by reframing them as legitimate acts of resistance, omitting any mention of attacks on civilians, and likening Gaza to Nazi concentration camps. Countless posts accuse Israel of genocide and liken it to apartheid.' A UKLFI spokesman said: 'AIM's deep ideological alignment with the Iranian regime and its record of extremist propaganda presents an unacceptable risk to children. We hope the local authority and other agencies will act decisively to protect vulnerable young people from exposure to harmful and radicalising content.' Lord Walney, the government's former extremism adviser, has raised his concerns over plans to stage Camp Wilayah this summer, saying: 'We cannot allow propaganda and influence from this theocratic dictatorship to be spread to children in the UK.' He added: 'It is deeply alarming that schoolchildren are being taken to these camps. This raises further questions about the influence of Iran here in the UK.' Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, has said that children should not be allowed to attend camps run by supporters of the Iranian regime. The concerns over Camp Wilayah come after Parliament's intelligence and security committee (ISC) warned on Thursday that the threat of physical attacks by Iran on the UK now matched that of Russia. The committee found that Iran's intimidation, including the fear of attacks on British Jews and Iranian dissidents living in the UK, was comparable in scale to the threat posed by Russia. AIM has run Camp Wilayah, which costs £180 per child, for a number of years. Pictures of the 2017 camp posted online show Hasan Ali al-Taraiki, a cleric associated with AIM, attending. In an interview posted on YouTube a year ago, he said that the persecution of Jews by Germany and European countries had been 'justified at the time'. Brent council told The Telegraph it had begun its own 'analysis' of Camp Wilayah and AIM's activities and was 'making its relevant partners aware'. A spokesperson for Hertfordshire county council said: 'We are aware of concerns around this planned activity camp, and we are working with partners to understand the situation and whether it raises any safeguarding issues.' AIM has been contacted for comment. It has previously defended its role, stating: 'The Ahlulbayt Islamic Mission serves communities in Britain. Unlike the roughly 3,000 Zionist organisations in the UK, it neither takes orders from nor represents the interest of any foreign power. 'We are proud of our record in opposing the 140-year Zionist campaign of genocide against the people of the Levant, which has included forced displacement, ethnic cleansing and indiscriminate aerial bombardment, among many other crimes.'


Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Britain must start building bomb shelters NOW to prepare for war with Russia in next five years, says ex-Army head
Britain must start building bomb shelters immediately to prepare the nation for a potential war with Russia in the next five years. That's the chilling warning issued last night by the former head of the British Army, General Sir Patrick Sanders. Gen Sir Patrick, who stood down as Chief of the General Staff last summer, fears a clash with Putin by 2030 was a 'realistic possibility'. But the retired defence chief claimed the nation was woefully unprepared for the prospect of missiles and drones raining down on its cities. In a bleak assessment of the threat now posed by Moscow, Sir Patrick urged ministers to take action and ramp up Britain's national defences. Speaking to the Telegraph, the retired Army boss said it was critical the nation started to construct a network of bomb shelters capable of protecting millions of civilians. 'If Russia stops fighting in Ukraine, you get to a position where within a matter of months they will have the capability to conduct a limited attack on a Nato member that we will be responsible for supporting, and that happens by 2030,' he said. Sir Patrick said that during his time as Army chief, discussions with the Government about constructing civilian bomb shelters and underground command centres for military use had been dismissed as too costly or low priority. He claimed the concerns were swept aside because the 'threat didn't feel sufficiently imminent or serious to make it worth it'. But he said the landscape had dramatically changed in recent years, as he issued his starkest plea for action yet. 'I don't know what more signals we need for us to realise that if we don't act now and we don't act in the next five years to increase our resilience… I don't know what more is needed,' he told the Telegraph. Citing Finland as an example, he added: 'Finland has bomb shelters for 4.5million people. It can survive as a government and as a society under direct missile and air attacks from Russia. We don't have that.' Sir Patrick's comments come amid concerns the UK does not have enough military firepower to fend off a missile bombardment similar to those seen in Ukraine, Israel and Iran in recent months. Speaking from his Wiltshire garden while smoking an Epicure No 2 cigar alongside his labrador Fargo, the General insisted Britain did not need an Israeli-style 'Iron Dome' air defence missile system. As well as calling for a new network of national bomb shelters, the former military chief also lambasted the shrinking size of the British Army. At the moment, the number of regular soldiers stands at about 72,500 - which is the smallest standing army since the Napoleonic War. Meanwhile, the country has about 30,000 part-time reservists, who could bulk out the total number of troops in the army to around 100,000. But Sir Patrick said this was nowhere near enough, warning the army is currently 'too small to survive more than the first few months of an intensive engagement'. Sir Patrick had previously been barred from giving a speech warning that conscription could be required in the event of a major war, amid concern from ministers it would terrify the public. Likewise, the former Army boss said Labour's latest Strategic Defence Review 'didn't touch this at all' and failed to address the manpower issues facing the military. Last month, Chancellor Rachel Reeves vowed to increase defence spending to 2.6 per cent GDP by April 2027. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is facing pressure to drive military spending even higher, following pleas by US President Donald Trump for Nato allies to 'do more '. The PM has now committed to spending five per cent of GDP on national security within 10 years - including 3.5 per cent on core defence. However, he has come under fire for not yet setting a clear timeline of how and when this will be achieved. Sir Patrick's comments come after Nato chief Mark Rutte warned last week a simultaneous military strike by China and Russia could plunge the world into a devastating new global conflict. In a bleak assessment, the former Dutch Prime Minister suggested Chinese leader Xi Jinping could attempt to seize Taiwan while urging Vladimir Putin to launch a parallel attack on Nato territory - potentially sparking World War Three. This morning it emerged Nato was forced to scramble fighter jets after Vladimir Putin launched a fresh wave of deadly drone and bomber strikes on Ukraine. Russia staged the most intense attacks of the war on the west of the country - with estimates suggesting up to 30 missiles and 700 military drones were unleashed. Two people were confirmed killed in Chernivtsi, close to the Romanian border, with at least 18 wounded in the overnight strikes which yet again targeted civilians. Acrid smoke could be seen lingering over the city following the strikes and rescue workers were pictured inspecting burnt-out cars and rubble. Putin used his nuclear-capable Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers to hammer Ukraine in what was already the most intense week of the war for kamikaze drone strikes. Russia targeted major cities Lviv and Lutsk as well as Chernivtsi in the assault on western Ukraine.