Clause 1 - Hatred against persons on racial or religious grounds
Racial and Religious Hatred Bill
11:30 am
Dominic Grieve (Shadow Attorney General, (Assist the Home Affairs Team); Beaconsfield, Conservative)
The hon. Gentleman, who claims he has great independence of thought, is becoming unfair. That was not what my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley said and it is not possible to give his comments that construction. What is true is that if people have the perception that they cannot express opinions, not about people’s racial identity in order to incite them to racial hatred, but particularly about other’s religious beliefs, we are in danger of creating a climate that foments hostility rather than allowing it to be discussed sensibly in a public forum. That is the issue that the Committee has to consider.