Badenoch ‘wrong’ to claim Islamophobia definition bars talking about ‘groomers’
The group behind the definition said it only applied to attempts to ‘smear’ all Muslims collectively.
A cross-party group of parliamentarians has hit back at Kemi Badenoch after she claimed it had said “talking about sex groomers was an example of Islamophobia”.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims said Mrs Badenoch had “wrongly claimed” its report on defining Islamophobia gave such an example.
In a statement, it said: “If the leader of the Opposition thoroughly read the report, she would understand the report speaks about the collective smear and trope being used against all British Muslims, a point which she accepted in her own words, and does not speak about legitimate concerns about criminal activity committed by specific individuals.
“There is nothing racist or Islamophobic about addressing any crime or protecting victims, regardless of the ethnicity or faith of the perpetrator.”
Mrs Badenoch made the claim during Wednesday’s Prime Minister’s Questions as she clashed with Sir Keir Starmer over calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs.
Urging the Prime Minister not to introduce such a definition in Government, she said: “The Labour Party has adopted the APPG definition of Islamophobia.
“That same APPG report said talking about sex groomers was an example of Islamophobia. This is exactly why people are scared to tell the truth and the lack of clarity means that innocent British Muslims are smeared by association.”
The APPG’s report on Defining Islamophobia, published in 2018, gave “using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia… to characterise Muslims as being ‘sex groomers’, inherently violent or incapable of living harmoniously in plural societies” as one possible example of Islamophobia.
In its statement on Wednesday, the group said the definition “is not there to stop free speech”, but urged politicians to “act responsibly”.
It also pointed to the racist murder of 81-year-old Mushin Ahmed in 2015, who was killed on his way to the mosque in Rotherham by a man who accused him of being a “groomer”.
The APPG, which is co-chaired by Labour’s Sarah Owen and Conservative Robbie Moore, said: “The whipping (up) of far-right conspiracies on this issue has already taken lives, including in this country.”
The Muslim Council of Britain’s secretary-general, Zara Mohammed, went further, urging Mrs Badenoch to “retract her misleading claims”.
Ms Mohammed said British Muslims “unequivocally support” the investigation and prosecution “of all child abusers”, and would back another inquiry “if proponents can explain why previous inquiries costing millions have not given them the answers they are looking for”.
She added: “What we will not accept is the cynical exploitation of child protection issues to demonise British Muslims. Mrs Badenoch’s comments represent a new low in the Conservative Party’s persistent refusal to tackle anti-Muslim prejudice within its ranks.”
In response, Mrs Badenoch’s spokesman pointed to her words at Prime Minister’s Questions, where she said: “I would say to (the Prime Minister) that by refusing this inquiry, he is enabling those people who wish to smear all British Muslims based on the actions of a small minority.”
The spokesman also pointed to previous comments by Mrs Badenoch on the APPG’s definition, in which she said it “creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted”.
Posting on X in February 2024, Mrs Badenoch had said: “We use the term ‘Anti-Muslim hatred’. It makes clear the law protects Muslims. In this country, we have a proud tradition of religious freedom AND the freedom to criticise religion.”
