PRESS RELEASE
23 January 2022
Institutional Islamophobia at the top of the Conservative Party: MCB calls for Independent Inquiry
The Muslim Council of Britain today calls for an independent Equality Human Rights Commission investigation into the state of Islamophobia in the Conservative Party. The revelation from former minister Nusrat Ghani MP about her experience of Islamophobia as a Muslim woman is the latest example in a string of cases exposed by the Muslim Council of Britain and others.
Zara Mohammed, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain said:
“Nusrat Ghani’s testimony of Islamophobia in the Conservative Party is shocking, but not surprising. That she is experiencing this as a Muslim woman at the top of the party, only reinforces the deep-rooted nature of the problem. Institutional Islamophobia in the Conservative Party has gone on with impunity for far too long.
Islamophobia should have no place in our politics. If Muslim members of the Conservative Party or any other party are facing prejudice and discrimination, then there is a critical problem. Our political landscape must be fair and inclusive for all.”
In May last year, the Conservative Party’s own Swaran Singh investigation into the issue confirmed the scale of cases of Islamophobia and racism within the party.
Whilst the Muslim Council of Britain was supportive of the investigation’s recommendations, it was nevertheless disappointed that the investigation failed to address the root causes of the problem; a recognition that there is institutional Islamophobia and racism in the party.
It is now time for the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to carry out a full inquiry into the Party, to determine if any breaches of the law have taken place.
[ENDS]
NOTES TO EDITORS
- Previous MCB statement on Islamophobia in the Conservative Party: Singh Investigation Confirms Scale of Islamophobia in the Conservative Party but Fails to Address Root Causes
- The MCB has submitted two dossiers to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), detailing incidences of Islamophobia in the Conservative party: see May 2019 dossier and March 2020 dossier
- 100s of mosques have supported call for inquiry on Islamophobia in the Conservative party – see here.
- Please see Appendix 3 of the report for the MCB’s views shared with the Singh Review.
- The Muslim Council of Britain is the country’s largest representative body of mosques and Islamic associations.