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…In establishing an All Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia, we are seeking the inclusion of Muslims in the official public discourse and policies of the state with a specific focus on eradicating a menace that threatens to continue to obstruct Muslim integration and hinder the identification of Muslims with the British nation and the British people. This briefing advances the case for the establishment of an All Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia to demonstrate the political will of politicians in the UK to address a serious and growing concern among human rights agencies and Muslim communities of the exponential rise in anti-Muslim hostility, prejudice and violence”32
Two months later, the APPG on Islamophobia was formed and duly launched, reported on the official Parliament website as having held its first Annual General Meeting on 15 November 201033. The purpose of the Group was: “To investigate the forms, manifestations and extent of prejudice and discrimination against Muslims in the UK today. To review the effectiveness of all legislation with a view to improving the rate of success in the prosecution of hate crimes. To review existing mechanisms for the recording of anti-Muslim hate crimes both through police forces across the country and through third party reporting sites with a view to improving data quality and comprehensiveness. To investigate and review the role of the media in fostering mutual respect and tolerance and guarding against misrepresentations of Islam and intolerance towards Muslims”34 A press release from iENGAGE a week or so later, on 24 November 2010 confirmed the formation of the APPG35: 32
http://www.iengage.org.uk/images/stories/islamophobiabriefing.pdf, p.41 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/islamophobia.htm 34 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/islamophobia.htm 33