Letters to the Editor

 

17th February 2006

 

SIR.

The Liberal Democrats had many concerns about the content of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. In particular we feared it could infringe on legitimate free speech. We were aware that many people across the political and religious spectrum shared similar concerns about the potential impact of the Bill on one of our fundamental freedoms.

 

As a point of principle we believe that religious belief can be distinguished from race. Race is immutable and attacking someone because they happen to be of a particular race can never be justified. Religion, however, is a matter of choice and so should be open to debate. We believe that the legislation as it was finally passed will recognise this principle by protecting the rights of believers and non-believers alike to criticise the religious beliefs and practices of others. 

 

We worked hard during the passage of the Bill, with people in other parties and with others from a wide variety of religious and artistic groups, to remove the most offensive aspects of the legislation whilst enabling the Government to deliver their manifesto commitment. As a result we were able to win a position where the conduct caught by the Bill involves threatening words and behaviour only, and not, as the Government wished, language or behaviour which is simply abusive or insulting.  We were also able to restrict the application of the Bill to cases where the incitement complained of was intentional, excluding cases where the individual did not set out to incite hatred.

 

We argued throughout the debate on this Bill that it was unnecessary.  We remain of the view that the Bill that was passed by the Commons adds little if anything to the law on incitement.  That said, however, it does not curtail freedom of expression in the way that would have been the case had the Government had their way.

 

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