Last night, it was reported that the police were “assessing” a report of hate speech made against Lee Anderson following his claim that “Islamists” had taken control of London and Sadiq Khan.
This is a concerning step, particularly because Labour has used the Anderson saga to divert the narrative away to the party’s adoption of the contested All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) definition of Islamophobia, which could become incorporated into law if it sweeps to power. According to this definition (also adopted by the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the London Mayor’s office), Islamophobia is “rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”.
