Newly announced Government review of hate crime legislation is a win for broad-based organising

On Wednesday 5 September, speaking to the House of Commons, Justice Minister Lucy Frazer MP announced a comprehensive Government review led by the Law Commission into the coverage and approach all hate crime legislation. This important commitment comes as a result of campaigning by Citizens UK leaders in Nottingham, Manchester, Tyne and Wear, London and beyond. Read more to see our full response.

Martha Jephcott, Citizens UK leader who has worked with Nottingham Women's Centre to train thousands of Nottinghamshire Police officers on misogynistic hate crime following the constabulary's pioneering classification of misogyny as a hate crime, said:

"We strongly welcome Lucy Frazer MP's announcement of a full Law Commission review of all hate crime legislation. We will continue to campaign to see this lead to misogyny being recognised as a form of hate crime and other much-needed changes to bring this area of law into step with our times.

This opportunity comes as a result of the campaigning by Citizens UK leaders across the country, working together with a wide range of allies, and the fantastic support of Stella Creasy MP in bringing the issue of hate against women to the House. Widespread interest in today's debate was shown from civil society, with over a third of MPs being urged by Citizens UK members to make misogyny a recordable hate crime.

We congratulate Lucy Frazer MP for the leadership she has shown on hate crime and look forward to working with her as part of the review".

Reverend Clive Foster of The Pilgrim Church, Nottingham, said:

"It is a superb victory for the power of community organizing that the government has asked the Law Commission to review Hate Crime Legislation which could make misogyny a hate crime. The work of our diverse Nottingham Citizens Hate Crime team began in 2013 with leaders from local churches, mosques, universities and voluntary sector. Irrespective of our diversity we were prepared to listen, research and act together for the common good of all. This a great step forward not just for misogyny but for all equality strands affected by hate crime".

To find out more about the work done by our Nottingham alliance in spearheading the call for misogyny to be made a hate crime, please watch this video from July 2017:

You can read more about the review's announcement in The Guardian , BBC News and Sky News .