PREJUDICE against Muslims is Britain’s “bigotry blind spot”, a Tory grandee has said.
Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said Islamophobia had long been socially acceptable throughout the UK – and had now become even more entrenched.
She is among a group of politicians urging the Scottish Government to officially adopt a definition of Islamophobia in a bid to tackle prejudice and hatred.
The former co-chair of the Tory Party previously warned Islamophobia had “passed the dinner table test”.
But speaking in Holyrood, she said: “But I think we’ve moved even beyond that, sadly. I think it’s no longer just passed the dinner table test. I honestly believe it’s Britain’s bigotry blind spot.”
Labour MP Wes Streeting, from Westminster’s All-Party Group (APPG) on British Muslims, insisted Scotland had an “opportunity to really lead from the front for the whole of the UK”.
He said: “If the Scottish Government beats the UK Government to adopting this definition and putting in place guidance across Scotland, I think that would be fantastic leadership.
“It would hopefully embarrass the UK Government into action.”
It came as Baroness Warsi and Mr Streeting visited the Scottish Parliament to persuade political leaders to back the definition.
Produced after months of consultation, it classifies discrimination against Muslims as a form of racism, and reads: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”
To date, it has been adopted by the UK Labour Party, the UK Liberal Democrats, the SNP Westminster Group, Plaid Cymru, and several English local authorities – as well as other organisations including the Muslim Council of Britain.
Last month, it was adopted in London City Hall by Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Baroness Warsi said she was “deeply disappointed and hurt” over the failure of the Tories to adopt the policy at a UK level, but insisted she had “real optimism” about the attitude of the Scottish party.
She said the definition was not about protecting a religion, faith or set of ideas – but protecting people.
Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, chair of the Cross-Party Group on Tackling Islamophobia, said a failure to define Islamophobia “risks allowing those with ill-intent to define it for us”.
He said: “With racism on the rise in Britain and across the world, it is the responsibility of all political parties and public bodies to ensure we do everything we can to promote a more tolerant and inclusive society.
“Adopting the definition of Islamophobia in Scotland will help demonstrate to our diverse communities that we as lawmakers recognise Islamophobia exists, and that it will always be challenged.
“We can’t leave the fight against prejudice and hate to the Muslim community alone – it’s a fight for all of us.”
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