Brussels/London, (Unib Rashid) __ British Member of Parliament Afzal Khan has welcomed the Labour Party government’s decision to introduce a working definition of anti-Muslim hostility, calling it a “historic step” toward tackling rising discrimination and hate crimes against Muslims in the United Kingdom.

Speaking on the announcement, Khan said the move marks an important milestone in addressing growing concerns about Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism across Britain.

The MP noted that hostility toward Muslims is not limited to hate crimes but also includes deeper structural discrimination that affects Muslims’ participation in political, social and civic life.

“As a Muslim and a Member of Parliament representing many Muslim constituents, I know firsthand how widespread anti-Muslim hostility has become in Britain,” Khan said, emphasizing the importance of government action to confront the issue.

He highlighted that many Muslims in Britain face systemic inequality and exclusion simply because of their religious identity. The newly introduced definition, he said, expands the understanding of anti-Muslim hostility to include these broader forms of discrimination.

According to Khan, the government plans to implement the definition across public sector institutions to improve recognition and responses to anti-Muslim prejudice.

He also urged authorities to launch a nationwide outreach campaign involving diverse Muslim communities to ensure the definition gains trust and effectively supports those affected.

Khan said the introduction of the definition should be seen as the beginning of a wider effort to confront the deeply rooted discrimination Muslims continue to face in Britain.

“Today marks an important step,” he said, “but the real work now begins to tackle the hatred that Muslims in Britain continue to experience.”