ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the Muslim Council of Britain’s participation in British politics and its engagement with the changing nature of state-religion relations under the different governments in 1997–2013. The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has found itself at the heart of discussions on Muslim minority representation, while its own role and ability to serve as an authoritative voice of British Muslims has not gone unchallenged. Although unable to escape some of its negative labels, it remained true to its objective of lobbying the government on behalf of its affiliates and raising awareness on Islamophobia. Based on the research conducted in 2011–2012 and updated in light of the recent policy changes under the Coalition government and the aftermath of attacks on the mosques in West Midlands in 2013, the chapter revisits some of the debates on the MCB and its involvement in British politics. It suggests that while the level of the criticisms of the MCB has increased, its own discourse of engagement has become more nuanced.
