A Government working group will aim to focus on defining “anti-Muslim hate” instead of Islamophobia, according to the Telegraph.

Critics of the efforts to create a new legal definition for Islamophobia had raised concerns that doing so could create backdoor blasphemy laws, and curtail speech about Islamic extremism.

Ministers launched the working group aimed at defining Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred in February, in an effort to help stem rising numbers of hate crimes against Muslims.

The review of the definition, led by former Conservative minister Dominic Grieve, is said to have moved away from using the words “Islamophobia” and “Muslimness”, according to the Telegraph.

New wording will aim to define hatred towards Muslims, but also protect free speech, the newspaper said.

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