Evangelical Alliance welcomes preservation of freedom of speech

The Evangelical Alliance has welcomed the Government's decision to keep a clause preserving freedom of speech in the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill.

The decision is a good example in practice of the careful balancing of competing human rights, the Evangelical Alliance says.

The Government decided on Wednesday night to accept an amendment by the House of Lords to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, which included a clarifying clause to preserve freedom of speech as part of the ban on incitement to hatred on grounds of sexual orientation.

Although the Lords amendment had initially been overturned in the House of Commons, it was sustained in the House of Lords last night by a vote of 178 to 164.

Don Horrocks, Head of Public Affairs at the Alliance, gave oral evidence to the Bill's House of Commons Committee at the start of the lengthy parliamentary process relating to this Bill.

He argued that while incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation was clearly unacceptable, the law needed to clarify exactly what type of speech was allowed without creating a climate of fear of investigation or prosecution.

The Alliance argued a similar case in regards to the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill, where a parallel clause was adopted.

Dr Horrocks said in response to the Government's decision: "It is encouraging to see that, as in the case of the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill, fairness and common sense has prevailed.

"We are delighted that Parliament has recognised the need to ensure that, while the evils of incitement to hatred are effectively tackled, society continues to value freedom of speech."