(Alamy)

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In October, PoliticsHome revealed that the definition, which is being led by the communities department, will not refer to Islamophobia. Instead, it will refer to anti-Muslim hostility.

In an effort to tackle the rise in hate crimes towards Muslims in the UK, the Labour government asked an independent working group, led by former Conservative cabinet minister Dominic Grieve KC, to produce a new definition for ministers to consider. 

Throughout the process, the government has sought to stress that any new definition will not infringe on freedom of speech, and that it is not obliged to accept what the working group proposes.

The government is in the final stages of agreeing on the exact wording of the definition. It could be published as soon as this month, PoliticsHome understands.

One of the outstanding issues is whether to include the word “racialisation”. 

A draft definition seen by PoliticsHome late last year described “the prejudicial stereotyping and racialisation of Muslims, as part of a collective group with set characteristics, to stir up hatred against them, irrespective of their actual opinions, beliefs or actions as individuals”.

However, the government is considering removing this term, while some Muslim MPs are pushing for it to remain in the wording.

On Wednesday, a cross-party group of Muslim MPs met with faith minister Miatta Fahnbulleh to discuss the details of the definition, PoliticsHome understands. In an email to MPs inviting them to the meeting, she said the “first duty of any government is to keep its citizens safe”.

The working group is reporting to Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who replaced Angela Rayner in the September cabinet reshuffle. He previously told The Telegraph he would not support wording which could curb free speech, telling the paper he would not allow the introduction of “blasphemy laws”.

The government has also said it wants the new definition to protect people, and not religions.