Exclusive: Does the UK's 'don't talk to the Muslim Council of Britain' policy actually exist?

Exclusive: Does the UK's 'don't talk to the Muslim Council of Britain' policy actually exist?

Andy Burnham's government has said it is sticking to a policy of refusing to engage with the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) that it has inherited from previous governments.

But a Middle East Eye analysis can reveal that the "non-engagement" policy appears to be a phantom, as no written records of an actual policy appear to exist.

No relevant government department has taken responsibility for it - documents seen by Middle East Eye reveal that these departments say they do not hold any information on the alleged policy.

It is unclear which department is even officially responsible for the declared policy, or what the official justification for the boycott of the MCB is. 

Multiple sources close to the government said that the new Burnham government is keen to mend relations with British Muslims, many of whom turned away from Labour during Keir Starmer's premiership.

The questions surrounding the origins of the no-contact policy with the MCB come after it was revealed last week that a mosque is attacked in the UK every five days. 

But the boycotted MCB is the largest umbrella body claiming to represent British Muslim organisations, with more than 500 affiliates.

Read more: Exclusive: Does the UK's 'don't talk to the Muslim Council of Britain' policy actually exist?

Britain's new Prime Minister Andy Burnham gives his first speech in front of 10 Downing Street in central London on 20 July after being asked by the king to form the next government (AFP) ...