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Mr Robert Kilroy Silk And Freedom Of Speech

EDM number 441 in 2003-04, proposed by Lynne Jones on 15/01/2004.

That this House regards freedom of speech as a precious component of democracy; therefore believes that the Sunday Express and all other newspapers should be free to decide the authorship and content of their publications, subject to the law; supports the public service broadcasting obligations of the BBC in ensuring the impartiality of presenters of current affairs programmes, noting the distinction between a critic paid by the BBC to give opinions and a presenter paid by the BBC to field opinions and that the latter must remain publicly impartial; further notes that with regard to the article by Robert Kilroy-Silk in the 4th January edition of the Sunday Express, the BBC investigation is about impartiality and the Commission for Racial Equality referral of the article to the Police is to investigate whether it constitutes incitement to racial hatred; supports the freedom of the press but also believes that it is right to have laws against incitement to racial hatred, paedophilia and exploitative pornography which necessarily introduce some limits to freedom of speech and expression; notes that the rise of Nazi fascism in Germany was assisted by propaganda which dehumanised and vilified Jewish people as a race and believes that the present day use of similar tactics in relation to any ethnic or religious group, for example blaming Arab people in general for the events of 11th September, should be condemned.

This motion has been signed by a total of 26 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Lynne Jones15/01/2004Birmingham, Selly OakLabourProposed
Glenda Jackson15/01/2004Hampstead & HighgateLabourSigned
Alice Mahon15/01/2004HalifaxLabourSigned
Rob Marris15/01/2004Wolverhampton South WestLabourSigned
David Chaytor15/01/2004Bury NorthLabourSigned
David Drew15/01/2004StroudLabour Co-operativeSigned
Ian Gibson15/01/2004Norwich NorthLabourSigned
John Austin15/01/2004Erith & ThamesmeadLabourSigned
Roger Berry15/01/2004KingswoodLabourSigned
Harold Best15/01/2004Leeds North WestLabourSigned
Richard Burden19/01/2004Birmingham, NorthfieldLabourSigned
Jim Dobbin19/01/2004Heywood & MiddletonLabour Co-operativeSigned
Sandra Gidley19/01/2004RomseyLiberal DemocratSigned
Harry Barnes20/01/2004North East DerbyshireLabourSigned
Nigel Jones21/01/2004CheltenhamLiberal DemocratSigned
Jeremy Corbyn21/01/2004Islington NorthLabourSigned
Debra Shipley22/01/2004StourbridgeLabourSigned
Michael Clapham22/01/2004Barnsley West & PenistoneLabourSigned
Jenny Tonge22/01/2004Richmond ParkLiberal DemocratSigned
Kelvin Hopkins26/01/2004Luton NorthLabourSigned
John McDonnell26/01/2004Hayes & HarlingtonLabourSigned
Mike Gapes26/01/2004Ilford SouthLabour Co-operativeSigned
Stephen Pound30/01/2004Ealing NorthLabourSigned
Alan Simpson05/02/2004Nottingham SouthLabourSigned
Bill Etherington05/02/2004Sunderland NorthLabourSigned
Terry DavisUnknownWithdrawn

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