John Doc

This post is significantly misleading. To start with, there has been no definition of "Islamophobia" at all or any attempt to do so. The working group which I chaired on the matter specifically declined to adopt the term. The suggested definition was about what might or might not properly be considered to be unjustifiable anti Muslim hostility. It is certainly not a blasphemy law. There was no new law suggested and it was outside the terms of reference of the working group and specifically excluded. I would not have chaired the working group if there had been any question of it, as I actively campaigned to get rid of the existing law on blasphemy when an MP and my views have not changed since. The wording used cannot create one or restrict legitimate freedom of expression,including the right to criticise Islam as a religion. To suggest this on the clear evidence of the wording and the text is nonsense. During the course of its work the working group met with a number of individuals and representatives of organisations. As the present government has kept the policy of its Conservative predecessors, no meetings took place with any groups or individuals who had been identified as having expressed unacceptable views incompatible with a free democracy. There was a call for evidence that allowed anyone to submit their opinion. Many did including, it was clear, individuals with views right across the political spectrum, including extreme hatred of Muslims. These were not considered individually. It was always for the government to decide what to do with our advice which was private to government. Whether or not the deletion of material received by us during the course of our work follows government guidelines or not is not for me to comment. We did not request it. Nick Timothy needs to decide whether he is a serious politician or a rabble rouser mingling valid points with entirely disreputable and unsustainable ones.