UK GOVT APPOINTS NEW ISLAMOPHOBIA MONITORING GROUP AFTER TELL MAMA’S FALL FROM GRACE

Wed 23 July 2025:

The UK government has named the “British Muslim Trust” as the new state-backed anti-Muslim hate monitoring group following the end of its partnership with Tell Mama, a rival Islamophobia reporting service, amid reports of a strained relationship.

The British Muslim Trust (BMT), a newly established group, is set to start monitoring incidents and receiving reports from early autumn, having been “selected as the recipient of the government’s new Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund,” according to a Monday statement from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

This appointment fills a gap left since March, when Tell Mama’s direct government funding was discontinued after receiving £6m over 13 years.

The BMT will receive state funding as part of a “new government drive against record levels of anti-Muslim hate.”

According to a statement from the Ministry of Housing the funding will boost victim support and strengthen hate crime reporting nationwide.

Screenshot from the British Muslim Trust website. Credit: britishmuslimtrust.co.uk

Lord Wajid Khan, Labour’s Minister for Faith, said: “The rise of anti-Muslim hatred in this county is alarming and deeply concerning. That’s why we established this new fund: to ensure we’re doing everything we can to deeply understand the situation our Muslim communities are facing, provide them with the support they need and give us the tools needed to tackle this unacceptable hatred.”

Lord Khan added that he looked forward to working with the BMT on “our shared ambition to create a safer, more tolerant society for everyone as part of our Plan for Change.”

Amid a sharp rise in Islamophobic hate crimes across Britain, the government has established the Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund to address “the evolving nature of religious intolerance and targeted hate incidents faced by Muslim communities, which are at the highest level on record.”

Qari Asim (l), Julie Siddqui and Akeela Ahmed. Credit: Religion Media Centre.

The BMT will use the funding to “develop a robust reporting system” that captures both online and offline incidents of anti-Muslim hatred, including those that may go unreported to the police.

The group also claims it will provide direct support to victims, raise awareness of what constitutes a hate crime, and encourage greater reporting from affected communities.

The BMT was founded by the Aziz Foundation and Randeree Charitable Trust, with Akeela Ahmed as its chief executive.

Ahmed is also a co-founder of the British Muslim Network (BMN), another government-friendly group, established earlier this year with the remit of liaising with the authorities over Muslim-related issues.

The key figures fronting the organisation are Imam Qari Asim of Leeds Makkah Mosque, gender equality campaigner Julie Siddiqui and Akeela Ahmed.

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All three have historically had extensive ties with the UK government’s counter-extremism strategy and have worked closely with pro-Israel organisations.

Ahmed perviously headed the Muslim Youth Helpline but resigned as Chief Executive after she wrote a letter to the police accusing some of her staff of racism and homophobia.

She has clarified that BMT is separate from BMN, which receives no government funding. BMT’s focus will be solely on its government-contracted work, while BMN has a “broader remit.”

Ahmed said: “For too long, anti-Muslim hate has been under-recognised and under-reported. BMT exists to change that – by listening to communities, amplifying their voices, and working with partners across society to ensure that no one is left to face hate alone. We are here to stand with victims and help shape a more inclusive, united Britain for all.”

Tell Mama’s fall from favour

Tell Mama has fallen far since its founding in 2012. The group relied almost entirely on funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to report anti-Muslim hate crimes, aid victims, and collaborate with police forces to bring perpetrators to justice.

As a result, Tell Mama was the preferred go-to for mainstream media and the government when gathering data or examples of Islamophobia in Britain. Grassroots groups with a higher standing within the UK Muslim community were regularly sidelined by the mainstream media and policymakers.

However, in May 2025, Tell Mama’s director claimed the organisation declined an additional six months of funding, citing tensions with Labour faith minister Lord Khan and “malicious campaigns” from competitors. Tell Mama has since operated independently.

In April, Muslim peer Shaista Gohir called for an inquiry into Tell Mama, raising concerns about a “lack of transparency” in its use of public funds.

Tell Mama rejected these allegations, calling claims it was secretly addressing Muslim extremism a “slur” and stating it adhered to government reporting standards. No inquiry was initiated.

Questions remain about how Tell Mama can survive without state resources, especially given its reputation within the wider Muslim community is marred with controversy.

Tell MAMA has proved to be controversial amongst British Muslims since its launch, especially in its early years under its founder Fiyaz Mughal.

While some have been applauded its systematic monitoring of Islamophobia and acknowledge that this is a much-needed service for the community, others are uneasy over its government funding and some of its partners, which have included pro-Israel and pro-LGBTQ groups.

In March 2014, a prominent gay rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell, joined the Tell MAMA charity as a patron in a move which raised eyebrows in the British Muslim community given that homosexuality is deemed as a major sin in Islam.

In July 2014, Tell Mama announced the results of its annual report on Islamophobia in the UK at an event organised by the infamous secular liberal reformist think-tank Quilliam Foundation.

The now defunct Quilliam Foundation was founded in 2007 by Maajid Nawaz and Ed Husain. Since its foundation, the Quilliam Foundation has been widely criticised by British Muslims for demonising normative Islam and leading witch-hunts against mainstream Muslim organisations and leaders.

Tell MAMA also previously appointed the former head of the pro-Israel Community Security Trust (CST) as its co-chair.

Richard Benson chaired the CST for 12 years. The group’s remit is to protect Britain’s Jewish community form external threats such as “bigotry, anti-semitism and terrorism.” But critics say that the CST is a well-known Zionist pressure group.

This article is republished from 5Pillars. Read the original article.