Islington Council has adopted the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims definition of Islamophobia to help it tackle “hatred and discrimination” in the community.

Town hall chief Cllr Richard Watts announced Islington was adopting the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia on Thursday, February 28.

The definition has wide-spread support from Muslim organisations across the country, cross-party backing and intellectual endorsement from more than 70 academics in the field.

The APPG’s report, Islamophobia Defined, states: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”

Mohammed Kozbar, the Chair of Finsbury Park Mosque, said: “Richard [Watts] has been a true ally in the fight against Islamophobia. We are therefore delighted that the Council has shown leadership in recognising the importance of adopting this definition of Islamophobia which has such widespread support within Muslim communities.”

Last year some 70 per cent of Muslims reported they had experienced religion-based prejudice, according to a report released by The Equality and Human Rights Commission released a report in October.

Cllr Richard Watts, said: “There is no place for hate in Islington. We are proud to be a welcoming, inclusive borough that celebrates diversity and champions inclusion.”

“The act of defining a thing helps us to understand it. In the case of Islamophobia, we hope that this working definition will allow us to use the word as a more effective tool to challenge bigotry, hatred and discrimination in our community, and to understand some of the challenges faced by Muslims in our society.”

Islington adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in June, 2017.