Dear Editor,

In a period of rising anti-Muslim sentiment it is dreadful that the Labour government fails to match, let alone improve upon, Conservative funding for a new organisation to replace Tell MAMA which is a Muslim led organisation that monitors and coordinates reporting of anti-Muslim hatred along with providing support to victims.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced its prospectus for a new ‘Combatting Hate Against Muslims fund’ on April 2 to replace the Tell MAMA (TM) hate crime reporting service that was deemed in need of a refresh to incorporate the government’s ongoing parliamentary committee trying to define a Working Definition of Islamophobia.

What shocked me was the low level of funding for the replacement in its first year of 2025/26 at a maximum budget of £650,000 when compared to the Conservative government in 2023/24 providing TM the sizeable amount of £1,001,230. The last time TM’s funding was less than £650K was in 2016/17 at £503,620. In 2017/18 grant funding was £829,226.

Some, especially cross-bench peer Baroness Shaista Gohir in the House of Lords, have been asking awkward questions regarding the governance of TM. Her question raised on March 18, 2024 elicited a formal response two weeks later on April 4 and provided details of TM’s grant funding for 13 years starting in 2011/12.

Despite alleged concerns about TM under reporting anti-Muslim hate crime published in the Byline Times last July, the view of police authorities is far more positive. In an article published on the New Arab website this April a National Police Chiefs’ Council spokesperson is quoted as saying:

“National police leaders have collaborated with Tell MAMA since its establishment in 2012. Over the years, we have cultivated a strong and effective relationship, and we have maintained an Information Sharing Agreement that permits the sharing of data without compromising the anonymity of victims who wish to remain so.

“In the wake of critical incidents in the United Kingdom and globally, including the events of October 7 2023, we have witnessed marked increases in hate crime and tensions.

“Tell MAMA and similar organisations that support other communities have provided invaluable insights and reporting data. These contributions have allowed for the effective analysis of community tensions and informed actions to reduce such tensions.”

Whilst it is true that the Conservatives froze TM’s funding at £841,000 for four years from 2019/20, but with a big jump in 2023/24, the Conservative government’s answer to Baroness Gohir included:

“Tell MAMA are subject to internal grant funding processes and due diligence checks… Tell MAMA’s work has been recognised internationally as a good practice model in recording and monitoring anti-Muslim hate.”

Despite plaudits for TM given by the police and the University of Leicester’s Centre for Hate Studies the Labour government wanted an open tender grant application. Within the prospectus for tender dangles the carrot of a maximum budget of £1,000,000 for the years 2026/27 and 2027/28. However, this fails to exceed the Conservative’s peak funding.

Unfortunately, the prospectus delivers a sting in the tail with the following caveat:

“The initial funding period is anticipated to run until 31 March 2028, to align with government’s wider Spending Review periods… Applicants should therefore be ready to identify how their organisation plans to sustain itself beyond the advertised funding period, should future funding be reviewed or amended.”

While some Harlow Labour councillors appear to throw accusations of “Islamophobia” routinely at their opponents, which suggests an ever increasing problem, their Starmer led government won’t even match what the Tories were spending on the issue. The Muslim community, especially given the Gaza situation, will rightly question Labour’s commitment to community cohesion. As the old adage says “put your money where your mouth is”.