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Racial and Religious Hatred Bill

It is a great irony that the Bill will penalise those whom it seeks to protect. I have never been worried about jokes or comedians in this regard, but I am worried now. Religion is not some cosy thing that people do. It often preaches hatred and incites people to share such views, even though we might wish that it were otherwise. One of the reasons that there were 2,000 or 3,000 religious leaders outside here today was that they were concerned that they would no longer be able to practise their religion freely in this country. It is a great irony that, in seeking to achieve that freedom, the Government might prohibit it. I am also concerned that in the current climate of terrible attacks on Muslims, such a Bill is the wrong answer. The answer is education. Declaration is not enough. Because I must finish, I will simply say that legislation will not stop hatred, and legislation will not stop incitement to hatred. It will simply and sadly contribute to it.