BLACKBURN Muslims have told a parliamentary committee that it is often better to be black in Britain than a follower of Islam.

The controversial claim came in a submission from the town's Masjid-e-Iraan organisation to a House of Lords group investigating government proposals to create a new offence of "incitement to religious hatred."

The peers from all parties warned that the new law -- similar to existing legislation against racial hatred -- would cause major problems.

Despite government claims that it would discourage extremists from using religion to pursue a racist agenda and would provide a level playing field for different religions, some of which have legal protection at the moment but others do not, the committee has said that the proposal could be a threat to freedom of expression.

The Masjid-e-Iraan submission to the peers said: "We have been advised that the government is considering how to combat the Islamophobia that is now so rampant in the United Kingdom that it is affecting everyone.

"We know of instances where Muslims face great difficulties in getting jobs and while in employment face problems because of following their faith."