Blogging from the Highlands of Scotland
'From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step' - Diderot

Friday 3 October 2003

Gay 'hate law' protection to be extended to Northern Ireland

The Daily Telegraph reports that Paul Murphy, the Northern Ireland Secretary, announced at the Labour Party conference that he will effectively leapfrog other parts of the UK by introducing hate crime legislation covering racial and religious (or sectarian) prejudice, and prejudice relating to sexual orientation.

Whilst 'hate crime' relating to racial and religious prejudice already exists in other parts of the United Kingdom, this was not extended earlier to Northern Ireland because of the perceived difficulty of enforcement in such a fractious atmosphere, where religious secatrianism has been so widespread.

However, at present, there is no protection in any part of the UK for 'hate crimes' committed against persons because of their [perceived] sexual orientation. Only in the very near future will legislation come into force protecting gays and lesbians from discrrimination in employment (unless you happen to work for a religious body, as such bodies have [quite inexplicably and outrageously] gained exemption from compliance).

There will now, quite rightly, be pressure upon the Home Secretary and the Scottish Executive to follow the lead of Northern Ireland to give protection against 'hate crime' to all citizens throughout the United Kingdom, irrespective of their sexual orientation.

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