Nick Clegg: Birmingham schools row coverage may have raised Islamophobia

Nick Clegg has written to the head of the Muslim Council of Britain to express his concern that the reporting of the alleged infiltration of Birmingham schools by extremists may have led to a "deeply regrettable" increase in Islamophobia.

The deputy prime minister told Shuja Shafi, the secretary general of the council, that Muslims are "patriotic citizens" who should not be held to a different standard to other citizens.

Liberal Democrat sources said that Clegg's letter was not aimed at Michael Gove, who sparked a row with the home secretary, Theresa May, after criticising the Home Office for failing to confront all extremists.

The education secretary said that the Home Office only focused on extremists who advocate violence. Gove, who said that all extremists should be confronted regardless of whether they support violence, described the Home Office approach to the Times as "just beating back the crocodiles that come close to the boat rather than draining the swamp".

A Liberal Democrat source said that Clegg believes the best way to fight extremists is to engage with moderate Muslims. In remarks aimed at the reporting on the Birmingham row, the source said: "Singling out one faith in this way could give rise to Islamophobia, and ultimately could make our country less safe.

"Nick Clegg believes that moderate Muslims in Britain are the best antidote to extremism and much more effective than any number of decisions from Whitehall. The deputy prime minister believes moderate Muslims in Britain are key to safe and happy communities, andshould be praised not singled out in an attempt to gain headlines."

The deputy prime minister wrote to the Muslim Council of Britain after the Guardian reported that community leaders have been warned that some Muslims could be barred from serving as trustees or governors of new academies and free schools under new rules to be introduced by Gove. The Muslim Council of Britain said it may be difficult for conservative Muslims to become governors if their views are regarded as incompatible with the "fundamental British values" that will be placed in new schools' funding agreements.

Clegg indicated that he shares these concerns. In his letter to Shafi, he wrote: "I would like to place clearly on the record that there is absolutely no doubt that the overwhelming majority of Muslims in the UK are patriotic citizens who hold values that entirely accord with the traditions and values of our nation, not least through the rejection of all forms of intolerant extremism. Indeed for generations many British Muslims have helped protect, defend and enhance these values through their voluntary, civic and military service to our country.

"It would be fundamentally wrong for British citizens who hold the Islamic faith to be held to a different, or indeed, higher standard from other citizens. Being Muslim does not contradict being British, nor is it in tension with it. A person can uphold their religious and cultural identity as well as British identity.

"Muslim friends and colleagues of mine have raised concerns about how some elements of recent reporting may risk leading to an increase in Islamophobia. If this is the case clearly it is deeply regrettable."