BBC AND THE ABOLITION OF THE BLASPHEMY LAW

Early day motion 532, tabled 17 January 2005 by Evan Harris (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 10 members.

That this House notes the orchestrated campaign from religious pressure groups to try to prevent the BBC from broadcasting 'Jerry Springer - The Opera' on BBC 2 on 8th January; deplores the irresponsible actions of one such group which caused alarm and distress to the families of BBC executives by making public their contact details and exposing them to hate attacks; believes that individuals have a choice whether or not to watch programmes which they are warned might be offensive to them, and as a publicly-funded national broadcaster the Corporation has a duty to reflect society in its output which will entail broadcasting programmes which some religious people find offensive; accepts the 2003 House of Lords Religious Offences Select Committee's conclusion that the discriminatory law of blasphemy is obsolete and probably in breach of European Convention on Human Rights; notes with concern that, despite this, threats of prosecution under the blasphemy law are being used to censor legitimate free speech and to constrain it through self-censorship artistic free expression; and supports the view of the Law Commission since 1985 that the law of blasphemy should be abolished as soon as possible.

Signatures by party: Labour 7, Liberal Democrat 3.