Hold a public inquiry into the effect of the term Islamophobia on free speech.

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

The government admits that there is no official definition of the term, and hence there is no clarity about what does and does not constitute Islamophobia. Given that being labelled an Islamophobe can be disastrous to a person’s career and public standing, this is creating uncertainty and fear.

The term is frequently criticised in articles and online for its conflation of legitimate criticism of a faith with animosity towards a group of people. It is widely perceived as an attack on free speech, and a step towards a situation where only officially sanctioned viewpoints may be expressed.

It is imperative that a public inquiry be held to understand the effects of this term on free speech, and give the general public a chance to make their voice heard on the matter.

Why it was rejected

It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.

We can't accept your petition because the UK Government and Parliament are not responsible for deciding what words mean or how words should be used.

You could start a new petition explaining clearly what you would like the UK Government or Parliament to do. For example, you could start a new petition asking for an inquiry into freedom of speech in the UK, which could include whether people's concerns about being labelled are harming freedom of speech.

Timeline

2 Jul 2018	Petition opened for signatures
9 Jul 2018	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21

Status Rejected

Rejected 9 Jul 2018

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