Bye Bye Blasphemy Party 2008

What a swell party it was!

The National Secular Society’s Bye Bye Blasphemy Party went with a swing on Saturday (21 June 2008), with the highlight being a reading by Sir Ian McKellen of the poem that was the subject of the last successful prosecution for blasphemy in Britain.

The proceedings – hosted by NSS president Terry Sanderson and Executive Director Keith Porteous Wood - began with performances from top-notch stand-up comedians Robin Ince and Christina Martin.

Then this message came from Baroness Andrews, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who steered the amendment that abolished blasphemy through the House of Lords:

“It was a privilege to be able to play a minor role in the abolition of a law which was so damaging to human and individual dignity. May I congratulate the National Secular Society who were so constant and energetic in their campaign for common sense and social justice. May I send everyone my best wishes for a celebration that is so long overdue.”

Then Keith Porteous Wood introduced the parliamentarians who had brought about the end of the blasphemy law. Evan Harris, the Lib Dem MP told of his political battle to persuade the Government to take on his amendment to abolish the law. He eventually succeeded in that effort and the law was finally abolished in May this year.

Lord Avebury, a long-time campaigner against the blasphemy law, also told of previous efforts he had made at abolition and the long road that had led to the final result.

Also at the party were Lady Hale and her husband Professor Julian Farrand QC, who was on a law commission in the eighties that had recommended abolition – in the face of colleagues who were arguing for the law to be extended to other religions.

Others there who had campaigned included Barbara Smoker, a previous President of the National Secular Society and Bill McIlroy, a former Secretary of the Society and also former editor of The Freethinker. Keith told how Bill had sent out copies of the Gay News poem after it had been convicted in a provocative attempt to get himself prosecuted for blasphemy.

Unfortunately, he was prosecuted instead for sending indecent material through the post.

Also in the audience was Nigel Wingrove, the director of Visions of Ecstasy, the only film banned under the blasphemy laws on the basis that it might be blasphemous.

Stewart Lee, co-author of Jerry Springer the Opera was also there. The fundamentalist group Christian Voice had tried to prosecute the BBC Director General for blasphemy after it broadcast the show. Stewart thanked the NSS for its support during the controversy.

A film showing clips from various films, cartoons, music videos and newsreels led up to an examination of the Gay News prosecution – the last successful blasphemy case in Britain. In the audience was Tony Reeves, the artist who drew the illustration that accompanied the poem’s original publication.

Then Sir Ian McKellen came on stage and revealed that he was the “survivor” of an evangelical family background. He said that his life as an actor necessitated much travelling, and whenever he found himself in hotels, the first thing he did was to take the Gideon Bible out of the bedside drawer and tear out the pages that made derogatory remarks about gay people.

He then read the poem that had so aggravated Mrs Mary Whitehouse, The Love that Dares to Speak Its Name.

Terry Sanderson said later: “I was going to make a joke about the dubious literary merit of the poem, but Sir Ian read it so beautifully that it sounded really rather splendid. I suppose that’s what makes him such a great actor.”

Mr Sanderson said that Sir Ian told him that he had received hate mail after it was revealed that he would be coming to the party to read the poem. Sir Ian said the letters were quite polite and all had addresses and names – they just said things like “God loves you – but you shouldn’t do this”.

Thankfully, he did do it, and the NSS is very grateful to him. We are grateful also to the others who made the afternoon such a great success – to Paul and Marie Stevenson, who edited the film that provided the focal point of the event – and to Tessa Kendall and Stephen Evans, the NSS’s office staff, who put so much effort into ensuring the event ran smoothly.

Nick Lansley recorded the event and Paul Christopher provided the photographs. The event has variously been described as “a tour de force”, “moving” and “compelling” by those who were there.

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