.... The home secretary, Amber Rudd, described Ms Khan as being ‘expertly qualified’, saying she will “bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the commission…vital as it works to identify and challenge extremism”.
Ms Khan’s appointment, however has also drawn significant criticism from policy-makers, including by Diane Abbott and civil organizations, particularly those representing the Muslim community.
Harun Khan, secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain – the UK’s largest Muslim umbrella body – said that the appointment “will be seen as a move to placate those small sections of society who see Muslims as foreign, alien, rather than as equal citizens in this country”.
Ms Khan has been accused of having no credibility amongst the British Muslim Community. Indeed, the immersion of Inspire within the Prevent programme, and the perception of Prevent being discriminatory against Muslims has arguably alienated her from large sections of British Muslims.
This criticism has been compounded by her intimate professional relationship with the Home Office.
Inspire, founded by Ms Khan, is a project that has received funding from the Home Office and Ms Khan’s book, ‘The Battle for British Islam: Reclaiming Muslim Identity from Extremism’, was co-authored by a Home Office Consultant, Tony McMahon. [MEND] Read more
