Law in force despite free speech fears

The Racial and Religious Hatred Act, which critics claimed would curb comedians’ right of free speech, comes into force today.

Rowan Atkinson led the campaign against the law, which he claimed would make criminals of anyone criticising religious beliefs.

He said there was a ‘fundamental difference’ between cracking a joke about someone's religion and being offensive about their race.

When the legislation was being drawn up, he said: ‘The freedom to criticise ideas - any ideas even if they are sincerely held beliefs - is one of the fundamental freedoms of society.,

‘The law which attempts to say you can criticise or ridicule ideas as long as they are not religious ideas is a very peculiar law indeed.

‘The right to offend is far more important than any right not to be offended.’

However, the Government says the law closes a loophole that meant only Jews and Sikhs, who are deemed racial groups, were protected, but not Muslims and Christians.

Minister claim there is a high enough ‘threshold’ built into the law to protect free speech.

Anyone convicted of inciting religious hatred now faces up to seven years in jail. The new offence is limited to threatening words or behaviour, and the prosecution must prove the intention was to stir up hatred.

Published: 1 Oct 2007