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Terrorism Bill

If someone makes a statement that has no effect on the audience, it does not matter if they make the statement. The only thing the Government are worried about is the effect that the statement encouraging terrorism, or whatever it may be, will have on the audience. That is what matters. If a man is ranting but everyone thinks he is being completely idiotic, he is doing no harm. He is doing harm only if he has an effect on the audience. Surely that is the point that my noble friends and the noble Lords on the Liberal Democrat Front Bench are trying to get over. It is the effect on the audience which is important, not what the man says.