Ministers should press ahead with proposals to create an offence of incitement to religious hatred, Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) said today. Speaking at a meeting to discuss the proposed legislation, he said: "The CRE, as the guardian of a British person's right to equal treatment, believes that all of us should be equal under the law. And to the extent that we are the conscience of the nation in matters of equality, I am here to say that we must not let faint hearts and confused arguments prevent the passage of a new law against incitement to religious hatred. He also called for the centuries-old blasphemy law to be abolished.

"We are in no doubt that the Government's proposal to outlaw acts of incitement to religious hatred is right. And we are, unlike some, very clear about what this law should and should not do. It should zero in on those who encourage people to take harmful action against others, and be constructed in such a way as to protect a person who might be the object of someone else's hatred. In essence the law should protect the believer; the belief should be strong and confident enough to fight for itself.

"Alongside these proposals, the Government should make a manifesto pledge to repeal the existing blasphemy law. By doing so it would send a very clear message to those people fearful that what lies behind the proposed incitement law is a desire to limit their freedom to criticise, or make fun of religion.

"These worries are reasonable and every step possible should be taken to allay them. In British society there can be no question that we should all be free to express our views of each others' beliefs in whatever way we choose. Let us be clear - this is not about banning Monty Python's Life of Brian, Blackadder, or The Passion of the Christ. The proposals recognise the balance that must be struck between protecting the right to free speech and the right to practise one's own religion without fear.

"It is also worth pointing out that, as well as restricting freedom of speech, the blasphemy law is itself discriminatory - in that it only protects Christians. If it were proposed today the CRE would go to court to have it struck out on the grounds that it would not pass a race equality impact assessment."

Trevor Phillips was speaking at 'The Need to Protect Faith Communities from Incitement to Hatred', an event organised by the CRE, the British Humanist Association, Justice and the Muslim Council of Britain, held at Portcullis House.

Through the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Bill, the Government is proposing to expand the existing criminal offence of incitement to racial hatred contained in the Public Order Act 1986. The proposals will make it an offence to knowingly use words, behaviour or material that is threatening, abusive or insulting with the intention or likely effect that hatred will be stirred up against a group of people targeted because of their religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs.

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