Annoyed at Labour MP's call for a blasphemy law

[ChicOP]

This is what a Labour MP said at PMQ: "Will the prime minister commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions?”

Why is he asking for measures to prohibit the desecration of prophets of the Abrahamic religious? Why not extend this to all faiths, why only limit this to Christians, Jews and Muslims?

I found Starmer's response appalling. He should have either said "no, we won't introduce such measures" or he should have made it clear that any measures will extend to all faiths.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/starmer-warned-as-labour-mp-calls-for-a-blasphemy-law-to-tackle-islamophobia/ar-AA1uS3dN

If it helps, OP, there's already an active thread about this: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5219128-blasphemy-laws?page=2&reply=140161952

An mp has the right to ask does not mean it will become government policy or law

Ask for a law that is discriminatory to people of other faiths?

Also what he is asking for is genuinely disturbing. It's a license to oppress those of differing opinion.

I think he should be expelled from his party for this disgusting incident. It really is utterly scandalous.

Plenty of people believe Allah is a figment of religious imagination. Those people should be free to burn as many Qurans and draw as many cartoons as they see fit. And yes Muslins have every right to feel offended by that, but that's as far as their 'rights' should go.

Under UK laws (thanks to Blair's government) religious opinions are more privileged than secular ones. Just consider that...

Unfortunately thousands of babies are being born in this country with a pre-existing set of political and religious grievances. That's what happens when political parties pander to self-appointed community leaders - it corrodes democracy. Labour have strategically ignored that fact to protect their vote share, which completely backfired at the general election as they lost five of their seats to explicitly pro-Gaza candidates, an astonishing fact given the overall swing to Labour. That could be the starting point for a whole new wave of sectarian politics in this country. It's like we've learned nothing since the events of 1534.

Totally agree OP.

I think there's a lot of misinformation around the issue. For example:

Tory veteran MP Sir David Davis, a longstanding campaigner for civil rights... expressed his disappointment at the prime minister’s response.

He posted on X (formerly Twitter): “For centuries, one of the most important features of Britain’s freedom of speech is the absolute right to criticise religion. Freedom of speech is fundamental to everything we have and everything we stand for. I regret Keir Starmer did not make that clear to Mr Ali at PMQs.”

What he's saying isn't factually correct. It was Labour who outlawed blasphemy in 2008. We've had blasphemy laws in the UK for centuries and they were only relatively recently banned in Scotland.

In addition Davis calls himself a campaigner for civil rights and his shambles of a party want to come out of the ECHR and HRA.

Starmer has to be careful about not stoking division. He did not commit to blasphemy laws and it's doubtful they would be reintroduced.

Is this MP representing his constituents' wishes on this matter, or is it his own personal hobby horse?

Look a squirrel!! 🐿🐿

Lack of wit isn't going to banned either - unfortunately.

Oh no!! Ouch!!

What he is asking for is genuinely disturbing. It's a license to oppress those of differing opinion

While I agree, he's hardly alone in that @Scammersarescum
There are plenty - including some on here - who'd obviously like the same, though TBH I find it better to have these things out in public rather than hidden, if only so that we can all see what we're dealing with

Too many people in the UK confuse the right to hold a religious belief (a right stemming from the secular enlightenment) with a right to have that religious belief respected. We need to make the distinction much clearer.

People can believe whatever they want. Others are free to point out that their beliefs are irrational.