MR ROBERT KILROY SILK AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH

Early day motion 441, tabled 15 January 2004 by Lynne Jones (Labour). Signed by 25 members.

That this House regards freedom of speech as a precious component of democracy; therefore believes that the Sunday Express and all other newspapers should be free to decide the authorship and content of their publications, subject to the law; supports the public service broadcasting obligations of the BBC in ensuring the impartiality of presenters of current affairs programmes, noting the distinction between a critic paid by the BBC to give opinions and a presenter paid by the BBC to field opinions and that the latter must remain publicly impartial; further notes that with regard to the article by Robert Kilroy-Silk in the 4th January edition of the Sunday Express, the BBC investigation is about impartiality and the Commission for Racial Equality referral of the article to the Police is to investigate whether it constitutes incitement to racial hatred; supports the freedom of the press but also believes that it is right to have laws against incitement to racial hatred, paedophilia and exploitative pornography which necessarily introduce some limits to freedom of speech and expression; notes that the rise of Nazi fascism in Germany was assisted by propaganda which dehumanised and vilified Jewish people as a race and believes that the present day use of similar tactics in relation to any ethnic or religious group, for example blaming Arab people in general for the events of 11th September, should be condemned.

Signatures by party: Labour 19, Labour/Co-operative 3, Liberal Democrat 3.