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Racial and Religious Hatred Bill

The trouble is that those people are correct. If one looks at the ordinary meaning of the Bill and removes the discretion of the Attorney-General, people are absolutely correct that it would be a major fetter on freedom of speech. The hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Mahmood) said that ““The Satanic Verses”” would be open to prosecution under the Bill, and I must say that I think he was right. That might never happen, but under the exact terms of what the Bill says, it would be the result of putting it on the statute book.