Fighting against Islamophobia and supporting opportunities for British Muslims has been as the heart of my political career since I was first elected as a councillor to Manchester City Council in 2000. From my time as a councillor, Lord Mayor of Manchester, Member of European Parliament and now as your Member of Parliament, I have always sought to combat Islamophobia be it through parliamentary debates, correspondence with ministers, hosting events and initiatives. My work on Islamophobia spans decades and while there have been many triumphs, there is still much work to be done to raise awareness of Islamophobia so that we can stamp out this scourge in our society for good.
Below you can find a comprehensive list of the work I have done on Islamophobia since 2000.
Councillor and Lord Mayor, 2000-15 and 2005-06
2000: Elected Assistant Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain[1].
2003: Founding signatory of Unite Against Fascism as MCB rep for North West.[2]
2000-04: Lead member for race equality on the council.[3]
2004: Co-founded the Muslim Jewish Forum of Greater Manchester.[4]
2005: As Lord Mayor, appointed a multifaith chaplaincy at Manchester Town Hall.[5]
2005: Opened the Cheetham Faith Festival.[6]
2005: Member of a Home Office working group aimed at preventing extremism.[7]
2006: Founded the Muslim Heritage Centre.
2007: Launched Islam Awareness Week at Manchester town hall.[8]
2010: Presented awards at FC United inter-Mosque football tournament in support of greater participation of young Muslims in sport.[9]
2010: Supported launch of Whalley Range Muslim Friends of Labour at the BMHC.[10]
2013-14: Chair of Manchester Council of Mosques.[11]
Member of European Parliament, 2014-17
2014: Elected as Labour’s first Muslim MEP.
2014: Visited Denmark as part of a delegation to speak out against Islamophobia and antisemitism in Denmark after controversial halal and kosher meat ban.[12]
2014: Organised event in European Parliament with the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding to denounce Islamophobia and antisemitism.[13]
2015: Called on the European Commission to strengthen strategy to combat Islamophobia.[14]
2015: Contributed to European Parliament debate on rise of antisemitism, Islamophobia and violent extremism in the EU, 11 March.[15]
2015: Written Question to the European Commission on: Addressing Islamophobia and antisemitism in the EU.[16]
2015: Written Question to the European Commission on: EU framework for national strategies aimed at tackling Islamophobia and antisemitism in the EU[17]
2015: Written Question to the European Commission on: Multi-faith dialogue on discrimination against Jews and Muslims.[18]
2015: Written Question to the European Commission on: Islamophobia — EU statistics on hate crime.[19]
2015: Participated in Islam in Europe conference hosted by S&D and Foundation for European Progressive Studies.[20]
2015: Contribution to European Parliament debate on antisemitism, Islamophobia and hate speech in Europe, 14 October.[21]
2016: Appointed S&D Special Representative to Muslim Communities.[22]
2016: Hosted launch of “European Islamophobia Report 2015” in the European Parliament.[23]
2016: Chaired European Parliament conference on European Muslims: radicalisation and de-radicalisation, raised Islamophobia.[24]
2016: Chaired S&D event in European Parliament on Muslims in Europe, showcasing success stories of European Muslims.[25]
2017: Attended Abrahamic Religions Conference in Brussels.
Member of Parliament, 2017-2024
Parliamentary debates, interventions and question times
2017: Committed to standing against Islamophobia during Maiden Speech.[26]
2018: Asked PM Theresa May about Islamophobia within the Conservative Party during PMQs.[27]
2019: Debate on Human Rights: Xinjiang.[28]
2019: Asked PM Theresa May about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party during PMQs[29]
2019: Asked PM Theresa May when the Conservatives will adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia during PMQs.[30]
2019: Addressed Islamophobia during a debate on Sikhs: Contributions to the UK.[31]
2019: Asked Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt if he would condemn Islamophobic comments by US President Donald Trump.[32]
2019: Speech during debate on the definition of Islamophobia.[33]
2020: Raised Islamophobia during the COVID pandemic in DHLUC OQs[34]
2020: Debate on Xinjiang: Uyghurs.[35]
2020: Raised treatment of Uyghur Muslims during FCDO OQs.[36]
2021: Spoke in debate on Xinjiang: Forced Labour.[37]
2021: Mentioned Uyghur Muslim women during debate on International Women’s Day.[38]
2021: Speech on treatment of Uyghur Muslims during debate on Human Rights: Xinjiang.[39]
2021: Raised the Swaran Singh report into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party during Cabinet Office OQs.[40]
2021: Speech during debate on the definition of Islamophobia.[41]
2021: Point of Order on lack of response from PM on letter about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.[42]
2021: Held debate on Islamophobia Awareness Month.[43]
2021: Speech about persecution of Muslims in debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina: Stability and Peace.[44]
2022: Point of Order on lack of response from DLUHC Minister on letter about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.[45]
2022: Speech on Islamophobia and adoption of the APPG definition during debate on Muslim community in Wales.[46]
2022: Raised rising Islamophobia during DLUHC OQs.[47]
2022: Raised genocide of Uyghur Muslims during debate on Forced Labour of Uyghurs: UK Supply Chains.[48]
2022: Called for debate on Islamophobia during Business Questions.[49]
2022: Raised treatment of Uyghur Muslims in debate on Xinjiang Internment Camps: Shoot to Kill Policy.[50]
2022: Urged the Government to adopt the APPG definition of Islamophobia in debate on Freedom of Religion or Belief: International Conference.[51]
2022: Raised rising Islamophobia online during DCMS OQs.[52]
2022: Point of Order on lack of response from successive PM’s on letter about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.[53]
2022: Asked the Home Secretary to commit to better safeguarding of British Muslim communities.[54]
2022: Called for a debate on Islamophobia during Business Questions.[55]
2022: Asked for an update on the status of the appointment of the Government’s adviser on Islamophobia.[56]
2023: Called for a debate on Islamophobia during Business Questions.[57]
2023: Raised the rise of Islamophobia globally during a debate on Srebrenica Memorial week.[58]
2023: Called on DLUHC Secretary of State Michael Gove to provide a statement on the Government’s work on tackling Islamophobia.[59]
2023: Presented petition on definition of Islamophobia.[60]
2023: Speech during debate on tackling Islamophobia.[61]
2024: Raised Islamophobia globally during debate on international human rights abuses: UK response[62]
2024: Urged PM Rishi Sunak to commit to APPG definition of Islamophobia during PMQs.[63]
Actions & Events (Parliamentary & Constituency)
20–: Helped to establish Labour Muslim Christian Forum.
2017: Attended Muslim Jewish Forum discussion on Prevent.[64]
2017: Launch of APPG British Muslims Very Merry Muslim Christmas report.[65]
2018: Letter to Tory Party Chair, Brandon Lewis about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party[66]
2018: TRT interview about Islamophobia in the UK.[67]
2018: Launch of APPG British Muslims report on charity contributions of Muslims.[68]
2018: APPG British Muslims evidence session in Manchester.[69]
2018: Worked on report with GMCA on tackling hateful extremism and promoting social cohesion following Manchester Arena bombing.[70]
2018: Attended MEND event on Islamophobia Awareness Month.[71]
2018: Launch of APPG on British Muslims report ‘Islamophobia Defined’.[72]
2019: Spoke at Countering Islamophobia event organised by Yunus Emre Institute.[73]
2019: 2nd Letter to Tory Party Chair Brandon Lewis about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party[74]
2019: Attended CfMM report launch on Islamophobia in the media.[75]
2020: Met with TellMAMA to discuss Islamophobia.[76]
2020: Chaired Empowered Employments report launch on challenges Muslim women face in the workplace.[77]
2020: Hosted webinar on supporting Uyghurs in Xinjiang.[78]
2020: Appointed Parliamentary Chair of Labour Muslim Network.[79]
2020: BBC Interview about LMN Report on Islamophobia in the Labour Party.[80]
2020: Letter to PM Boris Johnson about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.[81]
2020: LMN meeting with Shadow Faith Minister Janet Daby about Islamophobia in the Labour Party.[82]
2020: Wrote in the Byline Times about the stigmatisation of British Muslims during the pandemic.[83]
2020: Met with Political Counselor at the French Embassy about Islamophobia in France.[84]
2021: Letter to Tory Party Chair, Amanda Milling about the Conservatives withholding publishing of their inquiry into Islamophobia.[85]
2021: Letter to French President Emmanuel Macron about rising Islamophobia in France.[86]
2021: Hosted community iftar with religious leaders in Manchester and attended virtual Iftars with LMN, Open Iftar.[87]
2021: Letter with Alex Sobel MP about rising Islamophobia and antisemitism in wake of conflict in Israel/Palestine.[88]
2021: Letter to Chair of Tory Party Amanda Milling about the party withholding the publication of its inquiry into racism & Islamophobia.[89]
2021: Hosted event with MCB on the Prevent strategy.[90]
2021: Letter to PM Boris Johnson on EU Court Ruling on Hijab Ban in the workplace.[91]
2021: Spoke at World Uyghur Congress launch event.[92]
2021: Letter to Tory Party Chairs Oliver Dowden and Ben Elliott on lack of response on tackling Islamophobia following Singh report.[93]
2021: Letter to Home Secretary Priti Patel about hate crimes against Muslims.[94]
2021: Letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak about Islamic finance for Muslim students.[95]
2021: Letter to PM Boris Johnson about Islamophobia in the Conservative Party.[96]
2021: Hosted Islamophobia Awareness Month drop-in event.[97]
2022: Addressed GMB Executive Committee leading to GMB adopting the definition of Islamophobia.[98]
2022: Attended interfaith unity iftar at Medina Masjid in Levenshulme.[99]
2022: Letter to PM Boris Johnson about Islamophobic attacks in East London.[100]
2022: Hosted roundtable on Prevent strategy.[101]
2022: Hosted MCF report launch on contributions of Muslim charity organisations.[102]
2022: Letter to Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak (as leadership candidates) urging them to commit to tackling Islamophobia.[103]
2022: Met with UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders about Islamophobia.[104]
2022: Letter to Michael Gove with Sarah Owen MP on the definition of Islamophobia.[105]
2022: Hosted Islamophobia Awareness drop-in event.[106]
2022: LMN training session on Islamophobia awareness.[107]
2022: Roundtable with Turkish Parliamentarians about the rise of Islamophobia globally.[108]
2022: That’s Manchester interview about Islamophobia.[109]
2022: Held Islam & the Environment event at BMHC with local authority and religious leaders. [110]
2022: Discussed Islamophobia across Europe at the European Parliament [111]
2022: Attended International Uyghur Forum in Brussels.[112]
2023: Article in The House Magazine about contributions of British Muslims in Manchester during the pandemic.[113]
2023: Event to mark first UN Day to Combat Islamophobia.[114]
2023: Letter to Tory Party Chair Greg Hands about Islamophobia in the Tory Party.[115]
2023: Letter to Greg Hands about the definition of Islamophobia.[116]
2023: US: Met with Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib and Sameer Zuberi MP to discuss Islamophobia globally.[117]
2023: Met with Bolton Council to discuss Islamophobia.[118]
2023: Hosted Islamophobia Awareness Month drop-in event.[119]
2023: Letter (response) to DLUHC with Sarah Owen MP on the definition of Islamophobia.[120]
2024: Letter to DLUHC with Labour colleagues abut the closure of the Inter-Faith Network[121]
2024: Hosted roundtable with TikTok and Muslim women content creators.[122]
2024: Hosted screening and panel of HIJABI documentary in Parliament.[123]
2024: Attended International Conference on Tackling Islamophobia in Baku.[124]
2024: Met with UN Special Rapporteur on racism to discuss Islamophobia.[125]
[1] Muslims Want a Better Britain for All Its Citizens, MCB Press Release, May 2000
[2] UAF Founding Signatories, UAF Archive, June 2010
[3] City appoints first Asian mayor, Manchester Evening News, July 2005
[4] Eastern Eye article about the Muslim Jewish Forum, MJFGM website, October 2011
[5] British city gives an immigrant son a new title, The Christian Science Monitor, June 2005
[6] Faith and friendship, Manchester Evening News, September 2005
[7] ‘Preventing Extremism Together’ working groups, Home Office, October 2005
[8] What those Muslims did for us, Manchester Evening News, August 2007
[9] Mosques United, Manchester Evening News, April 2010
[10] Muslims should get politically active says MP, Manchester Evening News, February 2010
[11] Greater Manchester Faith Leaders Election Statement, Manchester Community Central, May 2014
[12] Muslim and Jewish leaders visit Denmark to call for meat ban to be reversed, FFEU, March 2014
[13] Muslim, Jewish leaders gather to denounce anti-semitism, Islamophobia, The Nation, October 2014
[14] Labour MEPs call on Commission to establish new strategies to combat Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, S&D Party Press Release, March 2015
[15] Rise of anti-semitism, islamophobia and violent extremism in the EU (debate), European Parliament Plenary, 11 March 2015
[16] Addressing Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the EU, Written Question, European Parliament, 30 March 2015
[17] EU framework for national strategies aimed at tackling Islamophobia and anti-Semitism in the EU, Written Question, European Parliament, 30 March 2015
[18] Multi-faith dialogue on discrimination against Jews and Muslims, Written Question, European Parliament, 30 March 2015
[19] Islamophobia – EU statistics on hate crime, Written Question, European Parliament, 29 May 2015
[20] Islam in Europe conference programme, June 2015
[21] Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and hate speech in Europe (debate), European Parliament Plenary, 14 October 2015
[22] S&D appoints Special Representative for EU Muslims, Euractiv, January 2016
[23] Presentation of European Islamophobia Report 2015, SETA, May 2016
[24] Radicalisation ‘is issue for all of us’, says MEP Afzal Khan, Rochdale Online, May 2016
[25] Muslims in Europe – Untold Success Stories, European Council blog, October 2016
[27] Prime Ministers Questions, Hansard, 27 June 2018
[28] Human Rights: Xinjiang, Hansard, 29 January 2019
[29] Prime Ministers Questions, Hansard, 27 March 2019
[30] Prime Ministers Questions, Hansard, 3 April 2019
[31] Sikhs: Contribution to the UK, Hansard, 30 April 2019
[32] Foreign Office OQ’s, Hansard, 25 June 2019
[33] Definition of Islamophobia, Hansard, 17 May 2019
[34] DLUHC OQ’s, Hansard, 5 October 2020
[35] Xinjiang: Uyghurs, Hansard, 29 June 2020
[36] FCDO OQ’s, Hansard, 8 September 2020
[37] Xinjiang: Forced Labour, Hansard, January 2021
[38] International Women’s Day, Hansard, March 2021
[39] Human Rights: Xinjiang, Hansard, 22 April 2021
[40] Cabinet Office OQ’s, Hansard, May 2021
[41] Definition of Islamophobia, Hansard, 9 September 2021
[42] Public Houses (Electrical Safety Bill), Hansard, 1 November 2021
[43] Islamophobia Awareness Month, 24 November 2021
[44] Bosnia and Herzegovina: Stability and Peace, 2 December 2021
[45] Consumer Protection (Double Charge), Hansard, 25 January 2022
[46] Muslim Community in Wales, Hansard, 23 February 2022
[47] Islamophobia, Hansard, 7 March 2022
[48] Forced Labour of Uyghurs, Hansard, 29 March 2022
[49] Business Questions, Hansard, 17 March 2022
[50] Xinjiang Internment Camps: Shoot to Kill Policy, Hansard, 28 June 2022
[51] Freedom of Religion or Belief: International Conferences, Hansard, 28 June 2022
[52] DCMS OQ’s, Hansard, 20 October 2022
[53] Points of Order, Hansard, 2 November 2022
[54] Home Office OQ’s, Hansard,14 November 2022
[55] Business Questions, Hansard, 24 November 2022
[56] Independent Adviser on Ministerial Interests, Hansard, 30 November 2022
[57] Business Questions, Hansard, 8 June 2023
[58] Srebrenica Memorial Week, Hansard, 4 July 2023
[59] Business Questions, Hansard, 16 November 2023
[60] Definition of Islamophobia, Hansard, 22 November 2023
[61] Tackling Islamophobia, Hansard, 7 December 2023
[62] International Human Rights Abuses: UK responses, Hansard, 24 January 2024
[63] Prime Ministers Questions, Hansards, 13 March 2024
[65] AK twitter, December 2017
[66] Tackling Tory Islamophobia, AK website, August 2018
[70] A Shared Future A report of the Greater Manchester Preventing Hateful Extremism and Promoting Social Cohesion Commission, GMCA, July 2018, page 121
[72] AK twitter, 27 November 2018
[73] AK twitter, 12 March 2019
[74] AK twitter, 25 March 2019
[77] AK twitter, 26 February 2020
[79] Afzal appointed Parliamentary Chair of Labour Muslim Network, AK website, August 2020
[80] Islamophobia and the Muslim Experience: The Labour Party Report, AK website, November 2020
[81] Boris Johnson accused of ‘insult to British Muslims’ after failing to respond to Islamophobia concerns for a year, The Independent, November 2020
[82] AK twitter, November 2020
[83] British Muslims and the Coronavirus Crisis: Undervalued and Underprotected, Byline Times, November 2020
[84] AK twitter, December 2020
[88] Don’t let Middle East violence fuel hatred on the streets of Britain, The Guardian, May 2021
[92] AK website, September 2021
[96] AK twitter, November 2021
[97] AK twitter, November 2021
[103] Sunak ignores Islamophobia appeal from MP amid extremism row, The Independent, 4 August 2022
[104] AK twitter, November 2022
[105] AK twitter, November 2022
[106] AK twitter, November 2022
[107] AK twitter, November 2022
[108] AK twitter, November 2022
[109] AK twitter, November 2022
[110] AK twitter, November 2022
[111] AK website, November 2022
[112] AK twitter, November 2022
[113] AK twitter, February 2023
[119] AK twitter, November 2023
[120] AK twitter, January 2024