Jerry Springer Opera in the clear

Peers have refused to hear an appeal from Christian Voice, trying to overturn a previous High Court ruling that prevented it bringing a blasphemy case against the BBC for airing the show.

The Lords ruled that Green’s petition for appeal ‘does not raise an arguable point of law of general public importance which ought to be considered by the House at this time’.

Stephen Green, the man behind the pressure group, said the Lords’ decision was a ‘blatant, shameless political manoeuvre by a God-defying elite [that] brings down the judgement of God on us all’.

Complaining that the law lords had been biased from the start, he said: ‘It is indeed a matter of great general public importance at this very time that the Almighty Creator of the universe and the Saviour of mankind have been insulted and vilified in this United Kingdom.’

And he threatened: ‘Christians will now have to take matters into their own hands when Christ is insulted on stage and on screen. Christians will have to find avenues other than those of the law.’

Green had complained that the musical – co-written by comedian Stewart Lee and composer Richard Thomas – ‘vilifies God and the Bible’.

And he boasted that his campaign of threatening theatres that had planned to stage the show had been effective, saying: ‘ The producers and theatres lost a fortune and Stewart Lee himself said it was “ruined”.’

Green’s case dates from January last year, when he tried to bring legal action against BBC director general Mark Thompson and Jerry Springer producer Jon Thoday, of Avalon. The case was refused by the City of Westminster magistrates, and their decision was upheld by the High Court in December.

Published: 5 Mar 2008