---

Racial and Religious Hatred Bill

The one thing on which we can all agree is that we have had a rich, interesting and genuine debate. You may not be surprised to learn, Mr. Speaker, that part of my preparation for taking the Bill through Parliament, knowing how controversial it is, was to seek some divine inspiration. Imagine my discomfort when, at my church on Sunday, the following passage from Jeremiah was read out."““I hear so many disparaging me. Terror from every side! Denounce him! Let us denounce him . . . All those who used to be my friends watch for my downfall.””" Sometimes as a Home Office Minister, it is like that—but only sometimes. I was relieved, to say the least, to hear so many of my hon. Friends speak so strongly in favour of this important measure. My right hon. Friends the Members for Holborn and St. Pancras (Frank Dobson) and for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham) and my hon. Friends the Members for Leicester, South (Sir Peter Soulsby) and for Tooting (Mr. Khan) all gave strong, wide-ranging speeches about the need to meet the challenges of today in a changing world. My hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Mr. Reed), in an excellent maiden speech, related the issues of the debate to his own constituency. For one fleeting and enjoyable moment, he took us to the beauty of Wastwater, which is a wonderful place. My hon. Friend the Member for Dewsbury (Mr. Malik), in what has been acknowledged on both sides of the House as a powerful speech, drew on his personal experience as well as his political analysis. In my view, he will indeed last longer than the bandmaster of the Titanic who, as we heard, came from his constituency. My hon. Friend the Member for Leyton and Wanstead (Harry Cohen) spoke strongly in support, as he always does. He has a proud record of pressing these issues in this place and in his constituency. My hon. Friend the Member for Rhondda (Chris Bryant) who always contributes to these debates did so again, though, as he freely acknowledged, his aspirations lie somewhat beyond the narrow remit of the Bill. The Bill clearly generates strong views both for and against the proposed offence, and our debate has provided ample opportunity for both sides to put their views on the record. The right hon. Member for Suffolk, Coastal (Mr. Gummer) and, indeed, the hon. Member for Gainsborough (Mr. Leigh) made strong speeches, and I am pleased to confirm that neither said anything that would contravene the proposed new offence.