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The wording of the official definition of Islamophobia has reportedly been rehashed amid concerns about the impact it could have on free speech.

A Government working group will focus on defining 'anti-Muslim hate' instead of Islamophobia as part of efforts to create a new legal definition for Islamophobia.

Critics have raised concerns it could create backdoor blasphemy laws and curtail speech about Islamic extremism.

Ministers launched the working group aimed at defining Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred in February in a bid to help stem rising numbers of hate crimes against Muslims.

The review of the definition, led by former Conservative minister Dominic Grieve, is said to have moved away from using the words 'Islamophobia' and 'Muslimness'.

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