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Last-ditch bid for 'gay hate' law Last-ditch bid for 'gay hate' law
(about 6 hours later)
The government is bidding to overturn a defeat in the House of Lords over new laws criminalising "homophobic hatred". The government will seek to overturn a defeat in the House of Lords over new laws criminalising "homophobic hatred".
The law, intended to protect gay people from threatening behaviour, was backed by MPs, amid fears attacks are rising. The law, intended to protect gay people from threatening behaviour, was backed by MPs amid fears attacks are rising.
But peers voted on Wednesday to amend the Coroners and Justice Bill to allow criticism of "sexual conduct and practice", to protect "free speech".But peers voted on Wednesday to amend the Coroners and Justice Bill to allow criticism of "sexual conduct and practice", to protect "free speech".
The government will again try to pass the law before the parliamentary session ends on Thursday.The government will again try to pass the law before the parliamentary session ends on Thursday.
It faces deadlock with the Lords over the wide-ranging Coroners and Justice Bill, which aims to remove the defence inserted into a previous act by the Conservative Lord Waddington. 'Deadlock'
He told fellow peers they had to maintain consistency with laws against stirring up religious hatred. Ministers are urging peers to defer to the wishes of the Commons to prevent deadlock over the wide-ranging Coroners and Justice Bill.
"If we are to finish up with a free speech clause in the religious hatred offence but no free speech clause here, we're simply asking for trouble," he said. MPs have, on four occasions, voted to remove the free speech clause from the bill by large majorities during its passage through Parliament and will seek to do so again on Thursday.
"There must come a point where this House, with all its great virtues, gives way to the House that has been elected by the people of this country," justice minister Lord Bach said.
If the signal that is sent is that it is all right to be intolerant... then I fear that we will end up seeing more violence Lord Smith
Lord Waddington, who inserted the defence of free speech into legislation covering religious hatred last year, said peers had to maintain consistency.
"If we are to finish up with a free speech clause in the religious hatred offence but no free speech clause here, we're simply asking for trouble."
He said there was no "dispute" about the need for laws outlawing incitement to hatred on ground of sexual orientation.
"The question is what conceivable benefit will accrue from the repeal of a safeguard for free speech... without waiting to see whether in practice it interferes in any way with proper enforcement of the law."
'More violence''More violence'
However, Labour peer Lord Smith, who was the first MP to come out openly as gay, warned that a free speech clause could lead to more attacks on homosexuals.However, Labour peer Lord Smith, who was the first MP to come out openly as gay, warned that a free speech clause could lead to more attacks on homosexuals.
"If the signal that is sent is that it is all right to be intolerant... then I fear that we will end up seeing more violence," he said."If the signal that is sent is that it is all right to be intolerant... then I fear that we will end up seeing more violence," he said.
There are no national statistics on homophobic crime but individual police forces such as Merseyside and Strathclyde reported annual rises of over 30% in their latest figures.There are no national statistics on homophobic crime but individual police forces such as Merseyside and Strathclyde reported annual rises of over 30% in their latest figures.
However, some comedians have criticised the plans, saying they could stifle creativity and even lead to the threat of people being arrested over jokes. But some comedians have criticised the plans, saying they could stifle creativity and even lead to the threat of people being arrested over jokes.
Earlier in the week MPs also overturned Lords amendments on the bill that opposed government plans for "secret inquiries" to replace inquests in deaths involving intercept evidence and a bid to remove infidelity as a partial defence for murder.Earlier in the week MPs also overturned Lords amendments on the bill that opposed government plans for "secret inquiries" to replace inquests in deaths involving intercept evidence and a bid to remove infidelity as a partial defence for murder.