Home Secretary David Blunkett will today announce plans to follow Scotland's lead by making it a criminal offence to incite religious hatred. The UK government plans to include the legislation in a new Bill designed to tackle religious and political extremists.
Ministers hope the move will protect minority religions from attack by right-wing groups but it could also be used against fundamentalist Islamists and other extremists, who preach against Christian society.

The Scottish Parliament passed laws to crack down on crimes motivated by religious bigotry last year. The change in the law, first proposed by Liberal Democrat MSP Donald Gorrie, means tougher penalties are now handed out in cases involving sectarianism and race attacks. The Scottish Executive agreed to amend the Criminal Justice Scotland Bill to make religious bigotry an aggravated offence in 2003 following public pressure. Mr Gorrie had proposed a private member's bill to tackle the issue but in the end settled for the Executive-led amendment. Today Mr Blunkett said the new move would help tackle religious extremists who stir up hatred in society.

The government first tried to bring in the offence in 2001 as an emergency measure after the September 11 atrocities. It was dropped after opposition in the House of Lords. Incitement to racial hatred is already an offence under the Public Order Act 1986, and covers threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. The existing offence covers inflammatory comments made in public or in the media, and the distribution of printed material. The maximum penalty was raised from two to seven years in the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Speaking in London today, the Home Secretary said there is enormous strength in our diversity as a nation. Figures show 8% of the UK population is now made of up of ethnic minorities. The Government believes the new law will cut cases of discrimination but the Islamic Human Rights Commission fears minorities could be targets of prosecution under it. Chairman Massoud Shadjareh said those charged under existing laws against incitement to racial hatred have been disproportionately drawn from black and ethnic minority groups. Mr Shadjareh said: "We are very concerned this legislation could infringe freedom of speech and will be used against religious minorities."