During Tuesday night’s BBC debate, the five remaining Tory leadership candidates backed Home Secretary Sajid Javid’s call for an independent inquiry into alleged Islamophobia in the Conservative Party. But Trevor Phillips, former chair of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (ECHR), has warned adopting a new definition of Islamophobia, proposed by an all-party group last year, could be used as a “bully’s charter” by Muslims to silence critics and promote intolerant views. He also claimed the dispute over Boris Johnson’s comments on Muslims was “pure dirty politics” and was being used to scupper the Tory leadership frontrunner’s ambitions of becoming the next UK prime minister.

Last year a cross party group of MPs, co-chaired by Anna Soubry and Wes Stressing, published an inquiry into a working definition of Islamophobia.

The report stated: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.”

The findings were subsequently backed by Labour, Liberal Democrats, SNP and London major Sadiq Khan, but its immediate introduction was rejected by Government, who argued it needed more consideration.

Police chiefs warn the proposed definition is too broad, warning it could hamper anti-terrorist operations such as stop and search or Prevent programmes to counter extremism as officers could be accused of Islamophobia for targeting Muslims.

Mr Phillips said: “What’s actually happening here is that the definition is the foundation of a bully’s charter.

“You get a university or local authority to adopt this extremely vague, wide-ranging definition.

“Anyone who says something that could be presented as in any way related to Muslims can then be shouted down.

“Essentially they are told they are Islamophobic, that they are bringing the institution, council or Government department into disrepute under their employment contract.

“That makes them sackable.”

Other critics have said the definition would clash with existing equality law, which defines racism more narrowly in terms of colour and ethnicity.

Officials from the Government’s Equalities Office have advised ministers that the law “defines ‘race’ as comprising colour, nationality and national or ethnic origins, none of which would encompass a Muslim or an Islamic practice”.

The think tank Policy Exchange also warned the new definition could affect free speech, saying sections of the media are already wary of covering Muslim stories in fear of receiving complaints.

But not everyone is opposed to the reports findings, with former Tory party co-chairman Baroness Warsi accusing critics of irresponsible scaremongering over legitimate attempts to tackle rising anti-Muslim sentiment in society.

She said the proposal would not inhibit police officers or other authorities in their work as it was: “A non-legally binding working definition.”

Mr Phillips also said Mr Johnson’s description of women burqas as looking like “letter boxes” or “bank robbers” was being exploited as a “get you” moment.

He said: “What people are doing by attacking him is missing the point of what he said and putting themselves on the side of people who want to cover themselves up.”

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