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Religious hatred bill published
Controversial plans to make incitement to religious hatred illegal have been unveiled by the government.
The new offence gives equal protection to all faiths. Jews and Sikhs are already covered by race hate laws.
Critics say the reintroduced plans - which cover words or behaviour intended or likely to stir up religious hatred - will stifle free speech.
Ministers insist the new law would not affect "criticism, commentary or ridicule of faiths".
'Preserve tolerance'
The Racial and Religious Bill would create a new offence of incitement to religious hatred and would apply to comments made in public or in the media, as well as through written material.
The aim is to protect people from incitement to hatred against them because of their faith.
But ministers insists it will not ban people - including artists and performers - from offending, criticising or ridiculing faiths.
Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said: "It is about protecting the believer, not the belief."
Mr Goggins said he did not expect many prosecutions under the new laws but it was important for Parliament to send out a clear message.
He said: "This will be a line in the sand which indicates to people a line beyond which they cannot go...
"People of all backgrounds and faiths have a right to live free from hatred, racism and extremism."
Mr Goggins said police had told him they believed the new law could have prevented some of the riots in northern English towns in 2001.
Lords opposition?
Religious hatred is defined in the Bill as "hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to religious belief or lack of religious belief" - showing it will also cover atheists.
Mr Goggins said there was a "high test" and the attorney general would also be able to veto any prosecutions.
Race hatred laws had resulted in 76 people being prosecuted in nearly 20 years, with 44 convictions.
Freedom of speech
The government says the legislation is a response to the concerns of faith groups, particularly Muslims.
The Muslim Council of Britain has welcomed the move, arguing that the courts have already extended such protection to Sikh and Jewish people.
Sher Khan, a council spokesman, said to protect some groups but not others contravened the European human rights laws.
"This is not protection of faith, it is a protection of those who are attached to a particular identity marker," Mr Khan said.
Keith Porteous Wood, of the National Secular Society, also said the legislation would curtail free expression.
Similar laws in Australia had stirred up tensions between different religious groups, he argued.
BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said some British Muslims believed religions must be allowed to criticise each other, and that the proposed new law could open a Pandora's box of prosecutions between faiths.
Actor Rowan Atkinson was among those to have spoken out against the proposed new law, arguing comedians could be at risk of prosecution for lampooning religious figures.
Controversial plans to make incitement to religious hatred illegal have been unveiled by the government.
The new offence gives equal protection to all faiths. Jews and Sikhs are already covered by race hate laws.
Critics say the reintroduced plans - which cover words or behaviour intended or likely to stir up religious hatred - will stifle free speech.
Ministers insist the new law would not affect "criticism, commentary or ridicule of faiths".
'Preserve tolerance'
The Racial and Religious Bill would create a new offence of incitement to religious hatred and would apply to comments made in public or in the media, as well as through written material.
The aim is to protect people from incitement to hatred against them because of their faith.
But ministers insists it will not ban people - including artists and performers - from offending, criticising or ridiculing faiths.
Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said: "It is about protecting the believer, not the belief."
Mr Goggins said he did not expect many prosecutions under the new laws but it was important for Parliament to send out a clear message.
He said: "This will be a line in the sand which indicates to people a line beyond which they cannot go...
"People of all backgrounds and faiths have a right to live free from hatred, racism and extremism."
Mr Goggins said police had told him they believed the new law could have prevented some of the riots in northern English towns in 2001.
Lords opposition?
Religious hatred is defined in the Bill as "hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to religious belief or lack of religious belief" - showing it will also cover atheists.
Mr Goggins said there was a "high test" and the attorney general would also be able to veto any prosecutions.
Race hatred laws had resulted in 76 people being prosecuted in nearly 20 years, with 44 convictions.
Freedom of speech
The government says the legislation is a response to the concerns of faith groups, particularly Muslims.
The Muslim Council of Britain has welcomed the move, arguing that the courts have already extended such protection to Sikh and Jewish people.
Sher Khan, a council spokesman, said to protect some groups but not others contravened the European human rights laws.
"This is not protection of faith, it is a protection of those who are attached to a particular identity marker," Mr Khan said.
Keith Porteous Wood, of the National Secular Society, also said the legislation would curtail free expression.
Similar laws in Australia had stirred up tensions between different religious groups, he argued.
BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said some British Muslims believed religions must be allowed to criticise each other, and that the proposed new law could open a Pandora's box of prosecutions between faiths.
Actor Rowan Atkinson was among those to have spoken out against the proposed new law, arguing comedians could be at risk of prosecution for lampooning religious figures.
NO ONE expects the Spanish inquisition! 