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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Tougher race hate laws considered | Tougher race hate laws considered |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Ministers are considering whether race hate laws should be revised after BNP leader Nick Griffin was cleared of charges relating to speeches he made. | Ministers are considering whether race hate laws should be revised after BNP leader Nick Griffin was cleared of charges relating to speeches he made. |
| A jury decided speeches by Mr Griffin and party activist Mark Collett in 2004 had not incited racial hatred. | A jury decided speeches by Mr Griffin and party activist Mark Collett in 2004 had not incited racial hatred. |
| Home Secretary John Reid said he would consult ministers after Gordon Brown and the Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, said current laws may need reviewing. | |
| But Lib Dem MP Evan Harris said tighter laws could be counter-productive. | But Lib Dem MP Evan Harris said tighter laws could be counter-productive. |
| Mr Griffin, 46 and from Powys, had denied at a retrial two charges of using words or behaviour intended to stir up racial hatred . | Mr Griffin, 46 and from Powys, had denied at a retrial two charges of using words or behaviour intended to stir up racial hatred . |
| Secret filming | Secret filming |
| Mr Collett, 26 and from Leicestershire, was cleared of four similar charges. | Mr Collett, 26 and from Leicestershire, was cleared of four similar charges. |
| The pair were charged in 2005 in the wake of the secretly filmed BBC documentary The Secret Agent, which had been broadcast a year earlier. | The pair were charged in 2005 in the wake of the secretly filmed BBC documentary The Secret Agent, which had been broadcast a year earlier. |
| The Leeds Crown Court jury heard extracts from a speech Mr Griffin made in the Reservoir Tavern in Keighley, West Yorkshire, on 19 January 2004, in which he described Islam as a "wicked, vicious faith" and said Muslims were turning Britain into a "multi-racial hell hole". | The Leeds Crown Court jury heard extracts from a speech Mr Griffin made in the Reservoir Tavern in Keighley, West Yorkshire, on 19 January 2004, in which he described Islam as a "wicked, vicious faith" and said Muslims were turning Britain into a "multi-racial hell hole". |
| Mr Collett addressed the audience by saying: "Let's show these ethnics the door in 2004." | Mr Collett addressed the audience by saying: "Let's show these ethnics the door in 2004." |
| A Home Office spokesman said Mr Reid would "think carefully and take time to study and reflect on this [court] judgement and its implications, including taking soundings from his ministerial colleagues". | A Home Office spokesman said Mr Reid would "think carefully and take time to study and reflect on this [court] judgement and its implications, including taking soundings from his ministerial colleagues". |
| But the minister believed the "poisonous politics of race" could be defeated only by argument, politics and community engagement, the spokesman added. | But the minister believed the "poisonous politics of race" could be defeated only by argument, politics and community engagement, the spokesman added. |
| Legislation banning the use of threatening words to incite religious hatred came into force earlier this week. | Legislation banning the use of threatening words to incite religious hatred came into force earlier this week. |
| Any preaching of religious or racial hatred will offend mainstream opinion in this country Chancellor Gordon Brown | Any preaching of religious or racial hatred will offend mainstream opinion in this country Chancellor Gordon Brown |
| "Parliament has only recently discussed and decided on new laws in this area," the spokesman said. | "Parliament has only recently discussed and decided on new laws in this area," the spokesman said. |
| "But obviously we want to make sure legislation is effective and even-handed." | "But obviously we want to make sure legislation is effective and even-handed." |
| In the wake of the BNP pair's acquittals, Chancellor Mr Brown said: "Any preaching of religious or racial hatred will offend mainstream opinion in this country. | In the wake of the BNP pair's acquittals, Chancellor Mr Brown said: "Any preaching of religious or racial hatred will offend mainstream opinion in this country. |
| "We have got to do whatever we can to root it out from whatever quarter it comes. | "We have got to do whatever we can to root it out from whatever quarter it comes. |
| "And if that means we have got to look at the laws again, we will have to do so." | "And if that means we have got to look at the laws again, we will have to do so." |
| Lord Falconer later told BBC Radio 4's Any Questions? that the government had to show young Muslims, without compromising freedom, that Britain was not anti-Islamic. | Lord Falconer later told BBC Radio 4's Any Questions? that the government had to show young Muslims, without compromising freedom, that Britain was not anti-Islamic. |
| Muslims had been offended by Mr Griffin's remarks and must be reassured the law would protect them, he said. | Muslims had been offended by Mr Griffin's remarks and must be reassured the law would protect them, he said. |
| 'Racist party' | 'Racist party' |
| Freedom of speech should not be an excuse for people to insult an entire community, Lord Falconer added. | Freedom of speech should not be an excuse for people to insult an entire community, Lord Falconer added. |
| But Dr Harris, who is on the influential joint select committee on human rights, said: "Although I am disappointed these members of a racist party were not successfully prosecuted for race hate given their attacks on Asians and asylum seekers, Parliament must resist the temptation for more restrictions on freedom of expression." | But Dr Harris, who is on the influential joint select committee on human rights, said: "Although I am disappointed these members of a racist party were not successfully prosecuted for race hate given their attacks on Asians and asylum seekers, Parliament must resist the temptation for more restrictions on freedom of expression." |
| He added that extending restrictions "can be counter-productive by either creating extremist martyrs or being impossible to enforce". | He added that extending restrictions "can be counter-productive by either creating extremist martyrs or being impossible to enforce". |
| Dr Harris argued there were "enough laws to deal with speech which actually incites to violence or other criminal offences, or which uses threatening language". | Dr Harris argued there were "enough laws to deal with speech which actually incites to violence or other criminal offences, or which uses threatening language". |
| "There must be room in a free society to allow even offensive criticism of religions and their followers," he added. | "There must be room in a free society to allow even offensive criticism of religions and their followers," he added. |
| After the not guilty verdicts, Mr Griffin said: "What has just happened shows Tony Blair and the government toadies at the BBC that they can take our taxes but they cannot take our hearts, they cannot take our tongues and they cannot take our freedom." | After the not guilty verdicts, Mr Griffin said: "What has just happened shows Tony Blair and the government toadies at the BBC that they can take our taxes but they cannot take our hearts, they cannot take our tongues and they cannot take our freedom." |
| In a statement, the BBC said its job was to bring matters of public interest to general attention. | In a statement, the BBC said its job was to bring matters of public interest to general attention. |
| "In this case the matters raised in The Secret Agent were seen by a large section of the public and caused widespread concern," it read. | "In this case the matters raised in The Secret Agent were seen by a large section of the public and caused widespread concern," it read. |