Angry Pirate

Rupert Lowe MP has been reported to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over his “repeated rhetoric about Muslims, Islam and Pakistanis”, with the complainant accusing him of Islamophobia. When the Government announced its Islamophobia definition — now repackaged as “anti-Muslim hostility” — it claimed that it would not have a chilling effect on free speech. We said it would. Time and again, the Free Speech Union has been proved right. When Nick Timothy criticised a mass public Muslim prayer event in Trafalgar Square, he was branded “Islamophobic”, reported to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, called a racist by the Equalities Minister and faced calls to resign from the then Prime Minister. Reform UK was also reported to the Equality and Human Rights Commission by 28 Labour MPs, who called the party Islamophobic and urged an investigation. Rupert’s referral to the Commissioner is further proof that this definition is being used as an Islamic blasphemy law by the back door. Since entering Parliament, Rupert has done brilliant work across the political divide to expose the grooming gangs scandal. Too many people have shied away from speaking about what was happening for fear of being branded Islamophobic. This is a national disgrace. Parliamentarians, public figures, council officials and the public at large must not be silenced from speaking out about the grooming gangs scandal or Islamist extremism for fear of being branded racist. This definition is deeply dangerous and threatens our society. People need to wake up to what it really means — and the consequences it will have.