The Evangelical Alliance and the Christian Institute have welcomed the British Parliament’s decision to keep a clause preserving freedom of speech in the Coroners and Justice Bill as a careful balancing of competing human rights.

The House of Lords this week resisted pressure from the House of Commons to remove a clarifying clause, introduced by former Home Secretary Lord Waddington, to preserve freedom of speech as part of the ban on incitement to hatred on grounds of sexual conduct.

The clause maintains that discussion and criticism of sexual conduct is not, in itself, tantamount to inciting hatred. 

Although the Government had whipped MPs to take the clause out, the House of Lords voted again by a substantial majority to keep it in and the Government reluctantly accepted their decision. 

Don Horrocks, Head of Public Affairs at the Alliance , gave oral evidence to the House of Commons Committee in 2007, at the start of the lengthy parliamentary process relating to this Bill.

He argued that while incitement to hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation was clearly unacceptable, the law needed to clarify exactly what type of speech was allowed without creating a climate of fear of investigation or prosecution.

Dr Horrocks said in response to the Government’s decision: “We’re very grateful and relieved. This debate is, and always was, about one thing – free speech.

“We are delighted that Parliament has recognised the need to ensure that, while the evils of incitement to hatred are effectively tackled, society continues to place a high value on freedom of speech.”

He added: “The clause means police will be able to deal effectively with unacceptable hate incidents without coming under pressure to investigate and pursue trivial or malicious allegations against people who are engaging in legitimate debate.

“Freedom of expression is a fundamental civil liberty, present in the world’s leading human rights declarations. Free speech is central to democracy, academia and other fields which require the exchange and testing of ideas. In particular, Christians rely on this liberty to be able to freely preach the Gospel.”

Simon Calvert, Deputy Director (Public Affairs) at The Christian Institute, called it a “victory for common sense”.

He said: “After many well known cases involving heavy handed policing of Christians, Parliament has decided to protect free speech.

“The free speech clause simply makes clear that which the Government has always accepted – that criticism of homosexual conduct is not, in itself, a crime. Surely that is a reasonable safeguard in any democratic society that cares about freedom of expression. This is a victory for common sense.”

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