■  Ken Livingstone:  “Those who suggest that this legislative proposal should not be supported because it would threaten free speech are wrong.” photo courtesy Greater London Authority

LONDON, November 12, 2007  –  Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, has today supported the Government’s plan to make it an offence to incite hatred against people on the basis of their sexual orientation.

And he dismissed claims that the legislation would erode freedom of speech.

“I welcome the Government’s proposal to make it an offence to incite hatred against people on the basis of their sexual orientation,” he said.

“Many lesbian and gay people experience high levels of violence, abuse, threats and insults and it is right that the government should act to provide protection against this and promote equality.

“Those who suggest that this legislative proposal should not be supported because it would threaten free speech are wrong,” he continued.

“Such a law would not criminalise people being rude, let alone a free exchange of ideas, debate or differences of opinion.

“The Government’s proposal would make it a criminal offence to incite hatred.  That is a high threshold.”

Mr. Livingstone gave as an example hatred incited by the far right when they assert that all homosexuals are paedophiles.

“Such abuse can have devastating consequences on the lives of individuals, leading to fear, isolation, bullying, physical and verbal attacks, he continued.  “Good community relations are destroyed by such incitement to hatred.

“Any proposal for incitement to homophobic hatred legislation must be effective.  That means it must meet at least the standard set by the 1986 Public Order Act provisions against incitement to racial hatred.

“Anything that falls short of this, as was unfortunately the case with the Act outlawing incitement to religious hatred, is likely to be ineffective and so bring the law into disrepute.

“Given the Government’s impending Single Equality Act,” he concluded, “I have urged the adoption of equality laws, which provide consistent and equal protections and rights, including equal protection against incitement to hatred.”

LINK
 

Greater London Authority website

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Posted: 12 November 2007 at 19:30 (UK time)