Honorary Associate: Robert Marshall-Andrews QC, MP
Bob Marshall-Andrews QC MP
Bob Marshall-Andrews QC is Labour MP for Medway. He is rebelling against his own party in the fight against the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill.
“At root, the matter is philosophical; there is a profound difference between hatred based on race, sex or age – all of which are thrust upon us; we have no choice – and on religion, which is not thrust upon us. Religion is a matter of choice; it is a matter of what we do. It is intolerable, and should be criminal, to incite hatred of a man or woman because of what they are, but I have grave doubts whether it should be criminal, as opposed to merely socially unacceptable, to incite hatred of someone because of what they do.”
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Guardian, 21 August 2008
Yorkshire Post, 21 August 2008
Telegraph, 21 August 2008
The fact that this case was won while another case – that of 16- year old Lydia Playfoot and her claim in 2007 to want to wear a “chastity ring” in school – was thrown out of court seems in itself to be discriminatory.
Government transitional safeguards to protect the jobs and promotion prospects of head teachers and teachers already in post in Voluntary Controlled faith schools breach natural justice and are discriminatory, says the National Secular Society.