More than 70 attacks on mosques were recorded across the UK over the past year – roughly one every five days. Repeatedly, symbolic debates about Muslim identity have displaced conversations about the issues that actually shape people's lives. But this persistent scrutiny exists alongside the fact that British Muslims are woven into every part of modern Britain. When organisations such as the Muslim Council of Britain, Muslim Women's Network UK and Tell MAMA all raise concerns about rising anti-Muslim hatred, they should be listened to. Political leadership matters because it helps shape the public culture in which the rest of us live.