A critic of the Government's approach to tackling extremism could be unveiled as the Government's new anti-Muslim hatred tsar next week as part of a major crackdown on extremism to be launched by Michael Gove.
Fiyaz Mughal, the founder of counter-extremism group Faith Matters and Tell MAMA - a national project supporting victims of Islamophobia - is a frontrunner to be appointed as the new independent adviser on anti-Muslim hatred, GB News can reveal.
Mughal is understood to have met with Gove, who as Communities secretary works with the Home Office to tackle extremism through the Government's Prevent programme, to agree the new role.
One Whitehall source said he was a "safe" appointment who would be expected to work closely with Tory ministers as well as Labour ministers if there is a change of government at the general election later this year.
An announcement could be made on Monday. Sources close to Gove said that Mughal was "one of a number of names we're looking at".
A critic of the Government's approach to tackling extremism will be unveiled as the Government's new anti-Islamophobia tsar next week as part of a major crackdown on extremism to be launched by Michael Gove
PA
Last year, backing a review by William Shawcross which called for an overhaul of the Government's Prevent anti-terror programme, Mughal criticised ministers for not stopping cash "channelled through Prevent to tackle extremism, being squandered on people that actually maintain the status quo".
He told The Sun: "Tackling extremism means tackling the views, values and toxic social narratives that fuel the division and dehumanisation so associated with extremism."
In 2022 Mughal, warned politicians not to "pander to hate and fear". He told The Express: "We should give hope instead of hate, and courage where there is fear. That is what we ask from our politicians."
The appointment will come in a week when ministers will seek to deliver on the commitment by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to tackle both far left and far right extremism which he said was tearing the UK apart in an address on the step of Downing Street.
GB News understands that Gove will unveil a new broader definition of extremism, probably on Thursday, which should allow the police to take firmer action.
The definition is due to be circulated in Whitehall in what is known as a "ministerial write-round". One person who has seen it says it is "vague".
There have been concerns that if the definition is drawn too widely it could inadvertently penalise groups opposed to same sex marriage, abortion or new transgender rights.
Ministers want to broaden the definition to tackle growing Islamic and far-right extremism in the UK to encompass any group or individual that promotes an ideology that “undermines the rights or freedoms of others”, The Times has reported.
However, some cabinet ministers fear that would ban groups such as gender critical feminists challenging transgender women’s access to same-sex facilities, or conservative Christian groups that oppose gay marriage or abortion, for example.
More reports on extremism in the UK will be published in coming weeks, including one by the Government's lead Commissioner for Countering Extremism, Sara Khan.
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The previous independent adviser on Islamophobia, Imam Qari Asim, was appointed in 2019 to advise ministers on producing a definition of Islamophobia.
However, it was decided in 2022 that this work would not be taken forward.
In 2021, an independent report on Islamophobia in the Conservative party found evidence of anti-Muslim discrimination and views expressed by individuals within the party and at local level, but that there was insufficient evidence to conclude it was an "institutional" problem.
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government was approached for comment by GB News.
Mughal was also approached for comment.