British Debate Over Veils - Accusations of Islamophobia

Accusations of Islamophobia

• Nazir Ahmed, Baron Ahmed, the first Muslim peer in the House of Lords, accused the Government of sustaining "a constant theme of demonising" the Muslim community. Lord Ahmed told BBC Radio 4's Sunday programme that it had become fashionable amongst ministers to "have a go at the Muslims".

• Pola Uddin, Baroness Uddin, the first female Muslim peer in the House of Lords, said that "we have attacked those who would be our greatest allies in meeting the current challenges of terrorism and radicalisation." She warned that the row over veils had caused "havoc" in the Muslim community and created "a feeling of vulnerability and demonisation of Muslim women".

• John McDonnell, a Labour MP, wrote in his blog that "if anyone doubted that Islamophobia existed in our country they should be in no doubt after reading and listening to the torrent of bigotry and prejudice pouring out of some of our national press and from our main media outlets over the last 48 hours".

• On 21 October 2006 the Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Council of Britain organized a rally called "Unite Against Islamophobia" which was to take place in George Square in Glasgow; the coalition also issued an open letter against Islamophobia.

• A group calling itself the British Muslim Initiative called for a rally to defend religious freedom and demand an end to attacks on Muslims to take place on 20 November 2006 at Westminster Central Hall.

• The playwright David Edgar wrote in The Guardian that he was "shocked" at the levels of anti-Islamic prejudices that came to the fore during the debate, writing "the furor over the right to wear the veil has exposed the double standards of the liberal anti-Islam agenda".

• After Salman Rushdie gave his opinion that the veil "sucks", the former leader of the Muslim Council of Britain, Iqbal Sacranie, said "Islamophobes are currently doing all they can to attack Islam and it doesn't surprise me he is now jumping on the bandwagon."