BURY Council as adopted a new definition of Islamophobia – one which the government rejected it last year.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of adopting the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia.

The definition states that Islamophobia is "rooted in racism" and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.

However, the government rejected the definition created by a cross-party group of MPs in May saying the wording needed “further careful consideration”.

Cllr Tahir Rafiq urged his colleagues to support the motion for the sake of togetherness, community cohesion and because it is the “right thing to do”.

He said: “I would ask the council to prioritise and tackle local community safety concerns on a rolling basis and coordinate future actions in line with this definition of Islamophobia and make Bury a safe and enjoyable place to live, work, study and visit for all Muslims.”

The motion also reaffirmed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, listing examples.