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Racial and Religious Hatred Bill

No, I will not. The Bill would not stop ““The Satanic Verses””. It would not be useful against Gary Springer—[Hon. Members: ““Jerry Springer!””] Jerry Springer: he has changed his name to protect the innocent—[Hon. Members: ““Gary Streeter!] And if the Tories cannot even decide who Gary Streeter is, I must be allowed a slip of the tongue. The existing protection of Sikhs did not make it possible to prosecute anyone for the performance of ““Behzti”” in Birmingham. Another objection that I have heard on television and the radio and seen in newspapers is that the Government are doing this only to regain Muslim votes that were lost as a result of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Anyone who thinks that must be an innumerate half-wit. It cannot be true: the Government first proposed the law to the House in November 2001, following a massive increase in the number of attacks on Muslim people after the evil events of 11 September in New York and Washington, and in response to a request from the Muslim community for extra protection. That was a prompt, proper and proportionate response to the needs of a minority group.