UK Parliament Committee to discuss Muslim community cohesion

Parliamentary session to examine barriers to unity and challenges faced by Muslim communities

LONDON (MNTV) – The U.K. Parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) will focus on the experiences of Muslim communities in the U.K. during its third evidence session this week.

Chaired by Labour MP Sarah Owen, the committee will hear from Muslim organizations about anti-Muslim hatred, Islamophobia, and the impact of social media in spreading misinformation.

A second panel, featuring Southall Black Sisters, Humanists U.K., and Professor Ted Cantle, will discuss broader issues of community cohesion, including interfaith relations and the role of religion.

Witnesses

Panel 1 

• Dr. Naomi Green, Assistant Secretary-General, Muslim Council of Britain (virtual)
• Professor Javed Khan, Managing Director, Equi
• Akeela Ahmed, Co-Chair, British Muslim Network
  

Panel 2

• Dr. Sukhwant Dhaliwal, Trustee, Southall Black Sisters
• Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK
• Professor Ted Cantle, Adviser at Belong Network and specialist in public policy and cohesion

Previous sessions of the inquiry explored antisemitism and the challenges faced by Jewish communities, alongside local government-led solutions for fostering cohesion.

Almost 6000 cases of Islamophobia were recorded in 2024 in the U.K., more than double the number two years earlier.

As a result, the U.K. government recently formed a new working group to define Anti-Muslim Hatred and Islamophobia as part of its commitment to combating rising hate crimes. 

With incidents of anti-Muslim hatred reaching record levels in 2024, the group aims to deliver a clear definition within six months to guide government bodies and institutions. 

This initiative supports the Plan for Change mission, focusing on safer streets by addressing religiously motivated hate and providing tools to better understand, quantify, and combat discrimination against Muslims.