[FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE]
A new social cohesion strategy was announced by the Government yesterday. The MCB welcomes genuine engagement that grows from the everyday bonds that hold our society together such as respect, shared responsibility and the sense that we all belong in Britain. It cannot be built primarily on suspicion or by viewing communities through the narrow lens of security.
British democracy rests on principles that nurture those bonds: individual liberty, democracy, the rule of law and mutual respect. When people feel they are treated as equal citizens, protected by the same freedoms and able to participate openly in civic life, communities are strengthened, and the country as a whole becomes more resilient.
Some proposals in the strategy are framed too broadly, which risk undermining the freedoms that sustain open and democratic societies. If we want a stronger, more united society, the answer is not to narrow democratic space but to ensure every community feels equally protected. Limiting free speech is oft-cited as a concern for those opposing the adoption of an Islamophobia definition yet we often find the very same free speech ‘champions’ interestingly quiet when it comes to more draconian policing of free speech on university campuses, charities and beyond.
We are also witnessing the toxic convergence of a cost-of-living crisis, far-right rhetoric and waves of online disinformation spreading through our towns and cities leading to Islamophobic attacks on mosques in Peacehaven and Manchester amongst many others. Confronting these drivers of division must be central to any serious cohesion strategy.
Equally concerning is the use of contentious labels such as ‘Islamism’. While it is sometimes intended to refer to violent extremists, who we unequivocally oppose, in practice the label has often been applied far more loosely. This term is often used as a broad brush to cast suspicion over a wide range of mainstream British Muslim-led organisations, charities and individuals engaged in lawful civic activity, rendering the term meaningless. Policies built on such vague categories risk deepening mistrust rather than strengthening cohesion amongst communities.
However, there are some positive elements in the strategy which the MCB welcomes, particularly efforts to tackle disinformation and harmful online content, which have played a growing role in fuelling division in recent years. Addressing these challenges is essential if communities are to rebuild trust and confidence in public debate.
Commenting on the social cohesion strategy, Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain Naomi Green says:
“Cohesion ultimately depends on meaningful partnership and human connection. Government engagement with British Muslims has too often been inadequate, filtered through gatekeepers and shaped by voices that view Muslims primarily through the prism of counter-terrorism and security policy. When communities are approached mainly through a security lens, it weakens trust and distances the very people whose participation is essential to building a confident, cohesive society.”
She further adds:
“United communities cannot be built on suspicion or securitisation. They must be built on trust, equal citizenship and democratic freedoms. At a time when anti-Muslim hate crime is rising, and online disinformation is fuelling division, cohesion requires leadership that builds trust rather than deepens suspicion. Building a more united society is something we all want to see, which requires steps that bring communities together rather than divides them further.”
[ENDS]
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