Labour could be tiptoeing one step closer to a fourth U-turn on policy after an explosive investigation revealed that Ministers have started to shy away from a proposed Islamophobia law.
The law, which is intended to bring in new legislation to defend Britain from anti-Muslim hatred in the UK, is now feared by top Whitehall officials as a way to bring blasphemy laws "through the back door".
Sir Keir Starmer's right-hand man Morgan McSweeney is said to be one of those adamantly against bringing in the so-called "blasphemy law".
"Definitely there will be a split within the Labour Party, and there are those sections who really want to see this definition go through," founder of Faith Matters Fiyaz Mughal told Olivia and Charlie.
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The law, first spearheaded by exiled Angela Rayner in the lead-up to the General Election last year, was designed to tackle the rising number of attacks on Muslim communities.
During 2024 alone, Muslims in Britain were victims of more than 3,000 hate crime incidents.
Now, splits within the Labour Party could be on the cards as Ministers, including Communities Minister Steve Reed, flirt with "backtracking" on Government policy, an investigation by The National found.
"It's not that it's been watered down," a No10 source told the paper.
The move would mark Labour's fourth backtrack since assuming power last year
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"It's just that they're completely changing it. The approach has been toughened up because we're not going to create a blasphemy law, which [the UK Government] believe is fundamentally wrong."
Discussing the matter with GB News hosts Charlie Peters and Olivia Utley, Mr Mughal said: "It was clear that Angela Rayner was okay with such a definition going through. Steve Reed is not.
"And I think that there is going to be a split. I think it's really important that we keep mobilising against this definition, because it will essentially criminalise a whole range of people.
"And, you know, we don't need more criminalisation in our country. The laws are sufficient enough."
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Mr Reed first teased the possibility that his party would reverse Ms Rayner's work at the Labour Conference in Liverpool earlier this month.
"Paramount in my mind would be the need to protect free speech," he said. "That must come first. We won't allow the introduction of blasphemy laws by the back door."
Speaking on the channel, political commentator Eve McQuillan said: "I don't think it will go so far to cause a rupture in Labour, but I think for some Labour MPs who feel that Labour is cosying up too much to Reform, then it will feel like this is the Labour Party moving against some of the moral principles that they stand on anti-discrimination.
"That's why it's important for the Labour Party collectively not to let that happen."
Mr Reed teased the backtrack at Conference
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So far this year, Labour has managed to U-turn on major government policy three times already.
In January, Sir Keir Starmer's administration backtracked on the winter fuel payment that impacted millions of British pensioners.
Five or so months later in June, Labour spun around on their refusal to hold a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal gripping the nation.
Later in July, his party decided to U-turn on their decision to cut welfare spending after enduring the persistent efforts of infuriated campaigners and disgruntled MPs.
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