Labour MP reintroduces religious hate laws

A Labour MP is calling on the government to back his proposals to outlaw incitement to religious hatred following the Lords' rejection of similar measures as part of controversial anti-terror legislation. The Erith and Thamesmead MP first introduced a bill including measures to tackle religious incitement in 1998 and welcomed the government's attempt to legislate on similar grounds last December "I welcomed your commitment to include protection against religious hatred in the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill and was sorry to see this withdrawn under pressure from the House of Lords and elsewhere. Whilst I recognise the government's need to compromise in order to get its legislation through, I hope the government will not be deterred from re-introducing a bill to combat incitement to religious hatred," he wrote in a letter to David Blunkett.