Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3871867.stm

On July 7, 2004 the BBC News reported, "Inciting religious hatred is to be made a criminal offence under plans unveiled by Home Secretary David Blunkett. The government failed to get laws introducing the offence passed by Parliament in the wake of the US terror attacks in 2001. In a speech in London, Mr Blunkett revived the proposals. He said he was returning to the plans as there was a need to stop people being abused or targeted just because they held a particular religious faith. 'Extending anti-discrimination law is only worthwhile if we actually change the processes on the ground,' he said in a keynote speech to left-leaning think tank the Institute of Public Policy Research. Earlier he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the legislation would not curb people's right to express their view of other people's religions. 'The issue is not whether you have an argument or discussion or whether you are criticising someone's religion. It's whether you incite hatred on the basis of it,' he said. There is already an offence of inciting racial hatred but this does not offer protection if someone is being targeted because of their religion. The government is worried in particular about discrimination against Muslims. The home secretary believes the law change would help tackle religious extremists who preach against other religions."