Kemi Badenoch has warned the Labour Party risks creating a “blasphemy law” due to its definition of Islamophobia.
The Business Secretary, who also holds the post of Equalities Minister, said it was best to use the term “anti-Muslim hatred”.
She claimed such a phrase would protect both religious freedom and the “freedom to criticise religion”.
She said on social media: “The definition of ‘Islamophobia’ she [Anneliese Dodds] uses creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted."
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This comes as Ashfield MP Lee Anderson lost the Tory whip after claiming that “Islamists” have “got control” of London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
Sadiq Khan slammed Anderson, referring to the comments as "Islamophobic and racist".
Badenoch took to social media to vent about the row.
Kemi Badenoch took to social media to vent about the row following Lee Anderson's comments about Sadiq Khan
PA
The Saffron Walden MP said: “We use the term ‘Anti-Muslim hatred’. It makes clear the law protects Muslims.
“In this country, we have a proud tradition of religious freedom and the freedom to criticise religion.
“The definition of ‘Islamophobia’ she [Anneliese Dodds] uses creates a blasphemy law via the back door if adopted.
“As the minister for the Equality Act, I also know the definition of Islamophobia that Anneliese Dodds and Labour have adopted is not in line with law as written.”
Badenoch added: “Anti-Muslim hatred is more precise and better reflects the UK’s laws, as others have noted.”
Badenoch's comments come after Labour’s Shadow Equalities Minister Anneliese Dodds accused senior Tories of failing to “call out Islamophobia”.
Labour’s code of conduct acknowledges there is “no single agreed definition of Islamophobia”.
However, Labour adopted the definition used by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019.
It states Islamophobia as “a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”.