against the Government’s proposed religious hatred legislation amid fears it could lead to religious persecution and restrict Christians in expressing their faith.
The EAUK, an umbrella group of over one million evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom, "believes the Government can no longer ignore the serious flaws in its current racial and religious hatred legislation that pose a serious threat to freedom of speech in the UK," the group said following Tuesday’s vote in a statement to BosNewsLife.
The government defeat, by 260 votes to 111, toughens the bill so that prosecutors must prove intent to cause religious hatred. Under an amendment to the law, which was sponsored by Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat House of Lord members as well as the former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, the definition of language needed to bring a prosecution has been tightened.
"THREATENING"
This is now restricted to "threatening" rather than "insulting and abusive" language and go some way to meeting the fears of critics that the bill restricts legitimate freedom of speech, British news reports said. The House of Lord representatives "have done the only sensible thing with this legislation and forced the Government to rethink its position," said R. David Muir, Director of Public Policy at the EAUK.
"The strength of opposition to this Bill in the House of Lords is a timely reminder to ministers of the importance this country places on free speech,” Muir added. Don Horrocks, Head of Public Affairs at the EAUK, said his organization had "worked tirelessly with a number of organizations to keep this issue in the headlines."
He said "the overwhelming backing of Lord Lester’s amendment" [with 149 votes] is testimony to the belief that, although well-intentioned, this Bill is seriously flawed. We now urge the Government to consult with the relevant people to get the Bill right, which they should have done at the start."
NEW BATTLE
While the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair has suggested it is ready for some compromise, ministers have reportedly made clear they may use the Parliament Act to force the law through if "peers", as House of Lord members are known "continue to object."
The government argues that the law extends to Muslim and other groups protection that is already enjoyed by Christians, Jews and Sikhs. "A new clash between the House of Lords and the Commons looks increasingly likely, commented Julian Glover, political correspondent of The Guardian newspaper on Wednesday, October 26. (With reporting by BosNewsLife’s Stefan J. Bos and reports from the UK)
