Clause 119 - Racial and religious hatred

Part of Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 5:30 pm on 20 January 2005.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Dominic Grieve Dominic Grieve Shadow Attorney General 5:30, 20 January 2005

I think that new clause 17 does take us slightly further, because it identifies religion as one of the potential hallmarks of a racial group, whereas the previous legislation did not. That is the point at which the Minister parts from us. The Bill as drafted goes too far. My proposal aimed to see whether there was a sensible point at which there was a meeting of minds. If the Minister does not see that as a good departure point, I suspect that it highlights what I said when I spoke originally, which is that it is difficult to see how the legislation can be amended from its present form to allay my anxieties. I fear that that leads inevitably to the position that we will be compelled to vote against the clause.