Knowledge (XXG)

Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006

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The government brought the proposal back before Parliament in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill in the Session leading up to the general election in May 2005. During the Lords debate on the relevant section of the Bill, on 5 April 2005 (the day on which the general election was called), the
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passed amendments to the Bill on 25 October 2005 which have the effect of limiting the legislation to "A person who uses threatening words or behaviour, or displays any written material which is threatening... if he intends thereby to stir up religious hatred". This removed the abusive and insulting
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said: "I appreciate that this measure is an attempt to provide comfort and protection to them but unfortunately it is a wholly inappropriate response far more likely to promote tension between communities than tolerance." Leaders of major religions and race groups spoke out against the Bill, as did
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At the general election, the Labour Party confirmed that, were it to be re-elected, it would bring in a Bill to outlaw incitement to religious hatred: "It remains our firm intention to give people of all faiths the same protection against incitement to hatred on the basis of their religion. We will
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The Government's plan was simply to add 'or religious' after 'racial' in the existing law, which would then have penalised use of 'threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour'. Critics of the Bill (before the removal of the words 'abusive or insulting ' and the addition of a requirement
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to cover incitement to religious hatred. When the Bill reached the House of Lords, an amendment to remove the clause was passed by 240 votes to 141. The Commons reinstated the clause, but the Lords again removed it. Finally, the then
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31 January 2006 – The Commons agreed to an amendment from the House of Lords by 288 to 278, contrary to the position of the Government. A second Lords amendment was approved by 283 votes to 282 in the absence of
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provision was removed. When the Bill returned to the Commons on 7 April, the Government announced that it was dropping the measure so as to secure the passage of the Bill as a whole before the
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of 11 September 2001, the Government in Britain brought forward the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill. Clause 38 of that Bill would have had the effect of amending Part 3 of the
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legislate to outlaw it and will continue the dialogue we have started with faith groups from all backgrounds about how best to balance protection, tolerance and free speech".
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In this Part "religious hatred" means hatred against a group of persons defined by reference to religious belief or lack of religious belief.
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also feared prosecution for their work. While sympathising with those who promoted the legislation, actor and comedian
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The Act is notable because two amendments made in the House of Lords failed to be overturned by the Government in the
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An Act to make provision about offences involving stirring up hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds.
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11 October 2005 – The bill was read by the House of Lords as a 300-strong group of protesters demonstrated in
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The Government attempted to overturn these changes, but lost the House of Commons votes on 31 January 2006.
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Government's third attempt to bring in this offence: provisions were originally included as part of the
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of stirring up religious hatred) asserted that the Act would make major religious works such as the
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Supporters of the Bill responded that all UK legislation has to be interpreted in the light of the
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concept, and required the intention – not just the possibility – of stirring up religious hatred.
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Hare, I (2006), "Crosses, Crescents and Sacred Cows: Criminalising Incitement to Racial Hatred",
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in 2004-5, but was again dropped in order to get the body of that Bill passed before the
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of inciting hatred against a person on the grounds of their religion. The Act was the
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Goodall, K (2007), "Incitement to Racial Hatred: All Talk and No Substance",
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1 October 2007 – The act came partially into force with the publication of a
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Hansard - Text of House of Commons Standing Committee discussion of the Bill
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Public Order Act, amended to reflect the proposed changes of the bill
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Doe, N; Sandberg, R (2008), "The Changing Criminal Law on Religion",
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Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 (Commencement No. 1) Order 2007
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Carlin, Brendan; Jones, George; Helm, Toby (2 February 2006).
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to become the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 c. 1.
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illegal in their current form in the UK. Comedians and
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The Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006, section 3(4)
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The Act amends the Public Order Act 1986 as follows:
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in 2001, but were dropped after objections from the
691:, as originally enacted from The National Archives. 215:Most of the Act came into force on 1 October 2007. 160: 153: 146: 139: 121: 113: 108: 98: 88: 83: 71: 61: 51: 549: 547: 555:"Lords Hansard text for 25 Oct 2005 (51025-18)" 534:"Lords Hansard text for 25 Oct 2005 (51025-04)" 528: 526: 823:Religious discrimination in the United Kingdom 788:Anti-discrimination law in the United Kingdom 8: 697:to the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006. 388:", an episode of American television series 32: 351:11 July 2005 – The bill was passed by the 31: 645: 813:Law about religion in the United Kingdom 689:The Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 679:The Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 592:"Blair's whips fooled by West Wing plot" 743:Blackadder's revenge hits the hate bill 444: 199:Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill 191:Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill 783:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 2006 761:Christian group may seek ban on Qur'an 502:Danielle Demetriou (7 December 2004). 397:16 February 2006 – The Bill received 231:to extend the existing provisions on 155:Text of statute as originally enacted 148:History of passage through Parliament 126:Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 7: 808:Race relations in the United Kingdom 171:Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 33:Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 573:"Ministers lose religious bill bid" 134:Protection from Harassment Act 1997 162:Revised text of statute as amended 25: 451:The citation of this Act by this 312:non-religious groups such as the 803:Censorship in the United Kingdom 737:New effort to ban religious hate 716:Racial and Religious Hatred Bill 638:10.1111/j.1468-2230.2006.00627.x 419:Censorship in the United Kingdom 219:Previous attempts at legislation 179:Parliament of the United Kingdom 45:Parliament of the United Kingdom 38: 18:Racial and Religious Hatred Bill 373:passed amendments to the Bill. 271:Meaning of "religious hatred" 1: 731:Q&A: Religious hatred law 181:which creates an offence in 757:(BBC News, 11 October 2005) 755:Protest over religious hate 726:politics.co.uk news roundup 233:incitement to racial hatred 141:Status: Current legislation 839: 711:Voting records on the bill 104:1 October 2007 (partially) 29:United Kingdom legislation 355:and was passed up to the 250:Dissolution of Parliament 37: 739:(BBC News, 11 June 2005) 488:Labour Party manifesto, 314:National Secular Society 73:Territorial extent  733:(BBC News, 9 June 2005) 369:25 October 2005 – The 683:The National Archives 434:Public Order Act 1986 329:Human Rights Act 1998 229:Public Order Act 1986 203:2005 general election 130:Public Order Act 1986 406:Statutory Instrument 34: 769:, 12 October 2005) 681:, as amended from 579:. 1 February 2006. 751:, 9 October 2005) 695:Explanatory notes 626:Modern Law Review 613:Law & Justice 455:is authorised by 424:Freedom of speech 225:terrorist attacks 183:England and Wales 167: 166: 109:Other legislation 78:England and Wales 16:(Redirected from 830: 818:2006 in religion 748:The Sunday Times 669: 658: 649: 620: 600: 599: 587: 581: 580: 569: 563: 562: 551: 542: 541: 530: 521: 520: 518: 516: 499: 493: 492:(2005), p111-112 490:Forward not back 486: 480: 475: 469: 466: 460: 449: 353:House of Commons 210:House of Commons 94:16 February 2006 74: 42: 41: 35: 21: 838: 837: 833: 832: 831: 829: 828: 827: 773: 772: 675: 661: 623: 610: 608: 603: 589: 588: 584: 571: 570: 566: 553: 552: 545: 532: 531: 524: 514: 512: 509:The Independent 501: 500: 496: 487: 483: 476: 472: 467: 463: 450: 446: 442: 415: 348: 262: 221: 142: 72: 47: 39: 30: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 836: 834: 826: 825: 820: 815: 810: 805: 800: 795: 790: 785: 775: 774: 771: 770: 758: 752: 740: 734: 728: 723: 713: 708: 703: 698: 692: 686: 674: 673:External links 671: 607: 604: 602: 601: 582: 564: 543: 522: 494: 481: 470: 461: 443: 441: 438: 437: 436: 431: 426: 421: 414: 411: 410: 409: 402: 395: 379:Prime Minister 374: 371:House of Lords 367: 360: 357:House of Lords 347: 344: 336:House of Lords 309:Rowan Atkinson 288: 287: 286: 285: 279: 278: 277: 276: 275: 261: 258: 242:David Blunkett 238:Home Secretary 220: 217: 195:House of Lords 165: 164: 158: 157: 151: 150: 144: 143: 140: 137: 136: 123: 119: 118: 115: 111: 110: 106: 105: 102: 96: 95: 92: 86: 85: 81: 80: 75: 69: 68: 65: 59: 58: 55: 49: 48: 43: 28: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 835: 824: 821: 819: 816: 814: 811: 809: 806: 804: 801: 799: 796: 794: 791: 789: 786: 784: 781: 780: 778: 768: 767: 762: 759: 756: 753: 750: 749: 744: 741: 738: 735: 732: 729: 727: 724: 722:Bill Tracker) 721: 717: 714: 712: 709: 707: 704: 702: 699: 696: 693: 690: 687: 684: 680: 677: 676: 672: 670: 667: 666: 659: 657: 653: 648: 643: 639: 635: 631: 627: 621: 618: 614: 605: 597: 596:The Telegraph 593: 586: 583: 578: 574: 568: 565: 560: 559:parliament.uk 556: 550: 548: 544: 539: 538:parliament.uk 535: 529: 527: 523: 511: 510: 505: 498: 495: 491: 485: 482: 479: 474: 471: 465: 462: 458: 454: 448: 445: 439: 435: 432: 430: 427: 425: 422: 420: 417: 416: 412: 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Retrieved 507: 497: 489: 484: 473: 464: 459:of this Act. 457:section 3(1) 447: 399:Royal Assent 389: 341: 333: 326: 322:Humanists UK 292: 289: 268:Section 29A 263: 254: 246: 222: 214: 207: 170: 168: 100:Commencement 90:Royal assent 26: 798:Hate speech 453:short title 318:English PEN 260:Controversy 777:Categories 665:Public Law 440:References 429:Incitement 386:A Good Day 382:Tony Blair 223:After the 122:Relates to 114:Amended by 53:Long title 656:145396261 632:(1): 89, 598:. London. 515:30 August 364:Hyde Park 305:satirists 293:intention 67:2006 c. 1 720:BBC News 647:1893/262 577:BBC News 413:See also 299:and the 291:for the 63:Citation 619:: 88–97 346:History 177:of the 654:  187:Labour 668:: 521 652:S2CID 301:Quran 297:Bible 84:Dates 517:2007 334:The 320:and 169:The 117:None 642:hdl 634:doi 617:161 175:Act 779:: 650:, 640:, 630:70 628:, 615:, 594:. 575:. 557:. 546:^ 536:. 525:^ 506:. 316:, 252:. 240:, 212:. 205:. 132:, 128:, 763:( 745:( 718:( 685:. 644:: 636:: 561:. 540:. 519:. 394:. 359:. 20:)

Index

Racial and Religious Hatred Bill
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title
Citation
England and Wales
Royal assent
Commencement
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Public Order Act 1986
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended
Act
Parliament of the United Kingdom
England and Wales
Labour
Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill
House of Lords
Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill
2005 general election
House of Commons
terrorist attacks
Public Order Act 1986
incitement to racial hatred
Home Secretary
David Blunkett
Dissolution of Parliament
Bible
Quran

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