Britain once exported English common law to half the planet. Today, it is ready to import a Muslim blasphemy code.

Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled a new official definition of what it calls “anti‑Muslim hatred,” accompanied by plans for an institutional apparatus designed to monitor and combat it across public life. Ministers insist that the measure is merely descriptive. It is presented as guidance rather than statute, a technical clarification meant to help authorities recognize prejudice and respond to rising tensions. The proposal forms part of a broader social cohesion strategy that also includes the appointment of a dedicated envoy tasked with addressing anti‑Muslim hostility and advising government departments, universities, and public institutions.

The language surrounding the initiative is carefully moderated. Officials stress that criticism of Islam remains lawful and that free speech will not be curtailed. Yet definitions, once adopted by government, have a curious tendency to acquire regulatory force. Universities consult them when disciplining students. Civil servants invoke them in training programs. Police officers rely on them when recording incidents. What begins as guidance soon hardens into orthodoxy.

The Labour Party frames the initiative as a response to rising hostility toward Muslims in Britain. That concern is legitimate. A civilized society does not tolerate intimidation or violence against religious minorities. Israel’s Muslim minority, for instance, enjoys democratic protections, freedom of worship, political........

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