In a development raising red flags across the Atlantic, Britain’s Labour government has appointed the UK’s first “anti-Muslim hostility tsar” and adopted a new definition of anti-Muslim hostility — reframed from “Islamophobia” — as part of its £4 million social cohesion strategy.
The definition describes such hostility as “a type of racism” targeting “expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness,” including prejudicial stereotyping that could incite hatred.
Officials claim it addresses record-high anti-Muslim hate crimes while protecting free speech. Critics, however, see it as a potential censorship tool that could limit scrutiny of Islamic extremism, grooming gangs, or integration challenges.
This UK approach serves as a stark warning for the United States, where parallel efforts to institutionalize protections against “Islamophobia” risk granting one religious group an expanding form of special status — potentially undermining equal treatment under the law, free speech, and focus on national security threats.
The Combating International Islamophobia Act, reintroduced in the 119th Congress as H.R. 959 and S. 805, would establish a State Department office to monitor and combat Islamophobia globally, mandating annual reports and strategies.
Backed by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., it frames supposed rising anti-Muslim bigotry as requiring U.S. leadership.
Opponents warn it could pave the way for domestic mechanisms that equate criticism of radical ideologies with prohibited hate, chilling legitimate debate.
State-level developments add to these concerns.
New Jersey’s A1146 (2026-2027) proposes the nation’s first state-level definition of Islamophobia for use in civil and criminal cases.
Connecticut has advanced bills to create school working groups on Islamophobia, and California’s MENA Inclusion Act (AB 91) expands ethnic recognition, raising concerns about potential speech restrictions.
These initiatives contrast with existing defensive measures.
Since 2010, over 230 anti-Sharia or anti-foreign law bills have been introduced in 43 states, with about 20 enacted to protect constitutional principles, prevent foreign legal doctrines from influencing U.S. courts, and ensure American laws remain paramount.
These laws, often based on “American Laws for American Courts” initiatives, have reinforced the principle that no religious or foreign code supersedes the Constitution and have been important in maintaining the integrity of the legal system.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a leading advocate for expanded protections. Its upcoming 2026 Civil Rights Report notes that complaints have remained at record highs for the third consecutive year, attributing this to governmental “attacks” on Muslim communities, including scrutiny of pro-Palestine activism and surveillance.
CAIR supports federal monitoring, state definitions, anti-bigotry resources, and opposes what it describes as discriminatory anti-Muslim measures, linking increases in complaints to global events.
These U.S. dynamics increasingly mirror — and amplify — the UK’s risks of fostering perceptions of preferential treatment.
In Britain, the tsar appointment followed Labour’s electoral setbacks, notably the Gorton and Denton by-election, where Muslim voters largely deserted the party for the Greens to punish Labour and thwart Reform UK.
Critics charge that the focus stems from pandering to a “sectarian voting bloc” in Muslim-dense areas like Birmingham, Newham, and Blackburn — prioritizing anti-Muslim hostility measures over Islamist extremism, which the government’s own strategy identifies as the foremost cohesion threat.
This approach, some argue, breeds resentment by signaling special shields while downplaying tougher integration or extremism issues.
In America, analogous risks loom if anti-Islamophobia policies favor group-specific interests over uniform law enforcement or confronting radical influences.
Free speech defenders maintain that such efforts blur critical distinctions, equating valid critique with racism and politicizing hate in ways that erode trust across society.
As Ramadan unfolds amid immigration enforcement debates, rising anti-Muslim rhetoric concerns, and international conflicts, the expansion of “protected status” for one group threatens to deepen divisions, heighten resentment, and challenge the bedrock principle of equal rights for all.
America’s enduring strength rests on equal protection under the law and uncompromising free speech as bulwarks against government overreach and external threats.
Without strong resistance, identity-driven Democratic initiatives — or even reactive responses — could solidify a troubling precedent, fracturing national unity and emboldening real dangers.
The UK’s trajectory should alarm every American.
When governments begin creating special tsars, definitions, and monitoring for one faith while extremism rises elsewhere, the drift toward unequal status — and diminished freedoms — gains dangerous momentum.
Thankfully, America’s proactive anti-Sharia safeguards offer a proven model for vigilance that other nations could learn from.
Peter McIlvenna is a British cultural commentator, Christian advocate, and host of “Hearts of Oak.” He was National Campaign Manager for the UK Independence Party and is chief of staff to Lord Pearson in the House of Lords. He speaks on free speech, Christian values, and Islamisation of the West, and is a fellow of the Institute for the American Future and American Freedom Alliance. This article has been cross-posted with the author’s permission from Newsmax.
Tony says
As part of Islamization, Islam’s Muslims use freedoms under Western Constitutions and Laws to gain protected status via discrimination, segregation, violence, and terrorism until Muslims can implement Sharia, Islamic Law, as taught in Islam’s Qur’an(Qur’an 9:5, 29, 111; 49:15, etc.). Muslim virtue-signaling and crying victimhood are some tools of deceit against Non-Muslims(Qur’an 3:54; 7:99; 8:30, etc.). BASICALLY, ISLAM IS THE DAILY PRACTICE AND EXPRESSION OF ISLAMIC LAW, A MURDEROUS WAY OF LIFE AND A CANCEROUS REIGN OF TERROR UNDER SHARIA BY 50+ ISLAMIC COUNTRIES(Qur’an 1:5; 3:51,101; 5:48, etc.). From within a society, Islam and its Muslims use a Muslim Death-Cult Caliphate Army of Jihadist Believers to engage in a spiritually cancerous war to Islamize, impose Islam and Islamic Law, and to ultimately conquer Non-Muslims with help from 100+ years of IDEOLOGICAL SUBVERSION through Cultural Marxism and Islamization. Also, Islamization infiltrates, corrupts, nurtures, and propagates illegal political activities with tribal or clan voting, sectarian or religious voting, family voting, mass censorship, mass theft, etc.
ISLAM IS ANTICHRIST, ANTISEMITIC, AHISTORICAL, DECEITFUL, MILITARISTIC, AND POLITICAL continuously against the USA Constitution and Western Laws to conquer and to subjugate Non-Muslims using MUSLIM-TERRORIST-CRIMINAL-GANG ENTERPRISES with ISLAMIC LAW(SHARIA) and with CONTINUOUS, TERROR PROPAGANDA from Islam’s Qur’an as evidenced by the continuous Muslim attacks to make Islam supreme(Qur’an 2:191; 3:28, 54; 4:74, 89-91; 7:99; 8:12, 30, 60; 9:5, 29,111; 16:106; 45:18; 47:4, etc.).
John Herlihy says
Damn well said!! I agree 100%!!
Hans Blinker says
@Keir,
So from now on it’s prohibited to refer to surah 8:39? surah 2:191? surah 9:5? Wow, you guys are complete flippos. Worse: traitors!
John1 says
Don’t forget, the Prime Minister is an atheist, and probably views all religions as silly and the same.
Alkflaeda says
All the more reason to treat them the same, then and afford special privileges to none of them.
gravenimage says
+1
Sick Of It says
Starmer has to go,sooner the better! Never has UK had such a vile traitor!
࿗Infidel࿘ says
It’s not just Britain: there is a whole host of countries that we can take lessons from. Mainland Europe for one, which opened its borders to muslims in 2011, w/ disastrous results. As well as plenty of other countries from Lebanon to Malaysia, which went from minority muslim to plurality muslim to majority muslim
Conversely, they don’t even to look abroad. Just look at Hamtramck, where they have an all-muslim council, and those members brazenly ignore the civic interests of anybody other than muslims. It’s not even a mystery what a muslim-majority US is likely to be
Wellington says
There’s nothing wrong with bigotry directed against those who adhere to a bigoted ideology. Three that come to mind are Nazism, Marxism and Islam.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Precisely! The Karl Popper rule about the paradox of tolerance
somehistory says
Exactly like being ‘discriminating’ when making personal choices and decisions. One must have a working mind; and a working mind, will see things to avoid.
this part of the definition of bigotry fits how the thinking person will see islime/muzzies
“prejudice against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group:”
Because “membership” in the worldwide “group” is an indication that the member wants non-members to suffer and die.
Captain Quirk says
Hear, hear!
gravenimage says
Exactly. Islam is a creed that preaches conquest, robbery, rape, and mass murder. Opposing this is not “hate”.
Westman says
The result of Tolerance – sleeping in while Muhammad and his “Merry Men” listen in the early morning for a dog or Muezzin followed by a charge on the sleeping village. The sudden awakening to death, enslavement, and theft was unexpected, yet previously instructed to Muslims. The village ignored or didn’t believe it. Tolerance was primary.
The Quran and Hadith are still the same, and the tolerant are still sleeping. Worse yet is the know-nothing leadership who let political arms of Islam delude them that Islam has no tyrannical ambitions.
The UK citizens are finally waking up to the Islamic threat. At some point there will be, and should be, rebellion.
Wellington says
Yes, Westman, ever increasingly I find myself thinking that the only way the UK can be saved is by way of outright rebellion, a new civil war a la Roundheads and Cavaliers (while duly noting that regardless of one’s take on Cromwell and his supporters and Charles I and his supporters, each was far preferable to any and all those who support the continued Islamization of Britain—nothing worse than this prospect).
somehistory says
Glenn Beck had a special program on the ‘jihad in America’. In it, he said that muzzie countries are now prohibiting young people from going to the U.K. to study in the universities due to the atmosphere in the U.K.
The country is rather like an individual who converts, being more of a danger than a muzzie from birth.
The U.K, is “converting” to islime….and is more of a danger to infidels than many muzzie countries.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Yeah, I’ve read this about the Emirates: they are now prohibiting their students from going to the UK for studies. I have no idea whether any other Arab countries are following suit
They would be wise to
somehistory says
How many of these are muzzies?
“‘Pluggers’ are the commuters plaguing our trains and the London Underground”
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/pluggers-are-the-commuters-plaguing-our-trains-and-the-london-underground/ar-AA1YNA2E?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=69bf08c3fd804bb18e30d5315e12bd0a&cvpid=6db22fc53ae14068a38a2e8acd3c2f4b&ei=54
gravenimage says
Quite possibly, Somehistory. Remember, recently we saw that video on a bus in England where Muslim “youth” would not let an elderly English lady get off at her stop, but were shoving her and laughing. And the driver, outnumbered, did nothing–he did not even call it in.
James Lincoln says
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a muslim brotherhood front group dressed up as a civil rights organization.
It should be outlawed as a group that aids and abets jihad.
Hank says
Look what you’ve done to your country by letting all that alien Islamic garbage in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Kukmf96usE
gravenimage says
My mother was born in Birmingham in saner times.
STJOHNOFGRAFTON says
How come there’s no Judeophobia, Christophobia, Buddhistophobia,or Hinduphobia? Makes you wonder what’s wrong with Islam that the Muslim Brotherhood had to invent a phobia to protect Muslims from hurt feelings.
Jupiter 00 says
Exactly!
jerry glenn says
I’m waiting for the anti-Islamopandering tsar.
Alkflaeda says
Sir Keir Starmer is doing a big cabinet reshuffle soon. My guess is that he’ll renege on the tougher line on immegration, and the new Tsar will be Shabana Mahmood.
Alkflaeda says
The cohesion strategy seems to me to imply that it is the responsibility of the indigenous population to fit in with the felt needs of Muslims – that we are a tabula rasa privileged to receive their stamp – but seeking to cohere in some circumstances is actually…incoherent. I guess from their perspective we just don’t appreciate the gulf in status between dhimmis and muslims, or the immensity of privilege involved in consecrating a daughter to provide legitimate refreshment to those entitled to take “women of the right hand”.
OLD GUY says
These muslim/islamic migrants always want special treatment from their host countries. They do NOT assimilate into the society that they invaded. If you don’t want to join our society and countries rule, don’t come to our western Christian countries.
More than one threat says
The threat from Islam can’t be tackled, without first tackling the enabling and supportive role played by the Left.
If you want to rid your country of the threat of Islam, first rid your country of the threat from the Left.
gravenimage says
‘Protected Status’ for Muslims — UK’s Lesson U.S. Can’t Ignore
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Important piece from Peter McIlvenna.