Tahir Ali: UK MP proposes law to criminalise religious text desecration, sparks free speech debate | World News

UK’s Labour MP Tahir Ali‘s recent call for a law to stop the defiling of religious texts has raised concerns about the possible return of blasphemy laws in the UK, bringing back a long-standing debate over freedom of speech, as reported by The Independent.

What are blasphemy laws?

Blasphemy laws are legal measures that prohibit the offence of insulting or showing disrespect towards religious beliefs, practices, or figures. In some countries, these laws are used to punish those who criticise or mock religious symbols, texts, or deities. The UK had blasphemy laws until 2008 when they were abolished for England and Wales.
The MP for Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley raised the issue during UK PM Keir Starmer‘s questions, highlighting that November is Islamophobia Awareness Month. He referenced a 2022 United Nations Human Rights Council resolution condemning the desecration of religious texts, including the Quran, and asked PM Starmer whether the government would introduce measures to prevent such acts, which he claimed “fuel division and hatred.”
Ali’s call for action was framed as a response to rising Islamophobia, with reports showing an increase in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the UK. He cited more than 4,900 incidents reported in the wake of Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, the highest number in 14 years.
The Prime Minister called desecration “awful” and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fighting all forms of hatred, including Islamophobia, but he did not fully reject Ali’s proposal. Starmer said, “We are committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including Islamophobia in all its forms,” but did not specifically address whether blasphemy laws could be considered as part of future policy.
Starmer’s response raised concerns, especially about free speech. Former Conservative MP Sir David Davis criticised the PM, stressing the importance of the right to criticise religion in the UK.
Davis warned that freedom of speech must not be compromised in the name of tackling hate. “Freedom of speech is fundamental to everything we have and everything we stand for,” he said.
The debate around blasphemy laws resurfaced in the UK following incidents such as the 2021 Batley Grammar School controversy, in which a teacher faced threats and was forced into hiding after showing an illustration of the Prophet Muhammad, as reported by the Guardian.
The National Secular Society, a British organisation also voiced concerns about Ali’s comments, describing them as “deeply alarming.” They warned that the introduction of blasphemy laws could erode fundamental freedoms.