Tories to back anti-religious discrimination measures
-29/11/04
The Conservative party’
Tories to back anti-religious discrimination measures
-29/11/04
The Conservative party’s support for religious discrimination laws is expected to be spelt out this week in a speech by Dominic Grieve, the shadow attorney general.
Michael Howard, the Conservative leader, said on Friday that Islamophobia had increased in Britain after the September 11 attacks and his party was now sympathetic to plans to introduce an offence of religious discrimination.
It was announced in the Queen’s Speech last week that a bill will be introduced in the coming Parliamentary session to combat discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of religion, as well as race, sex and disability. A single Commission for Equality and Human Rights will also be established.
The Home Secretary has also previously indicated that he wants measures to be introduced outlawing religious hatred.
The Conservative party said yesterday: “Whilst religious discrimination is already covered in the Human Rights Act, we are sympathetic that it should have its own legislation as long as proper safeguards exist for the activities of faith groups.”
Mr Howard said: “Many Asians, not just Muslims, but also Hindus and Sikhs, got caught in the downdraft of Islamophobia which was one of the terrible side effects of 9/11. Whole communities have been attacked and demonised because of … a few evil men”.
He was speaking in Batley and Spen constituency in West Yorkshire on behalf of Sayeeda Warsi, the first British Muslim woman selected to fight a parliamentary seat for the Tories.
“I could say that discrimination didn’t exist in Britain today, Mr Howard said. “But we have to face facts, it does.”
However, he rejected any form of positive discrimination. “Positive discrimination is outdated and it is unjust,” he said. “It sets family against family. And it leads ethnic communities to doubt their own abilities.”
Some church groups such as the Evangelical Alliance have however expressed concerns that anti-religious hatred laws might limit their freedom of speech.
Tories to back anti-religious discrimination measures
-29/11/04
The Conservative party’s support for religious discrimination laws is expected to be spelt out this week in a speech by Dominic Grieve, the shadow attorney general.
Michael Howard, the Conservative leader, said on Friday that Islamophobia had increased in Britain after the September 11 attacks and his party was now sympathetic to plans to introduce an offence of religious discrimination.
It was announced in the Queen’s Speech last week that a bill will be introduced in the coming Parliamentary session to combat discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the grounds of religion, as well as race, sex and disability. A single Commission for Equality and Human Rights will also be established.
The Home Secretary has also previously indicated that he wants measures to be introduced outlawing religious hatred.
The Conservative party said yesterday: “Whilst religious discrimination is already covered in the Human Rights Act, we are sympathetic that it should have its own legislation as long as proper safeguards exist for the activities of faith groups.”
Mr Howard said: “Many Asians, not just Muslims, but also Hindus and Sikhs, got caught in the downdraft of Islamophobia which was one of the terrible side effects of 9/11. Whole communities have been attacked and demonised because of … a few evil men”.
He was speaking in Batley and Spen constituency in West Yorkshire on behalf of Sayeeda Warsi, the first British Muslim woman selected to fight a parliamentary seat for the Tories.
“I could say that discrimination didn’t exist in Britain today, Mr Howard said. “But we have to face facts, it does.”
However, he rejected any form of positive discrimination. “Positive discrimination is outdated and it is unjust,” he said. “It sets family against family. And it leads ethnic communities to doubt their own abilities.”
Some church groups such as the Evangelical Alliance have however expressed concerns that anti-religious hatred laws might limit their freedom of speech.