Prominent members of the UK Conservative Party have voiced strong objections to potential legislation that would resemble blasphemy laws, following a proposal by Labour MP Tahir Ali.
Ali, representing Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley, has publicly advocated for legislation that would forbid the desecration of religious texts and abuse directed at prophets from Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. He highlighted during Prime Minister’s Questions that such acts could exacerbate societal divisions and hatred.
During Prime Minister’s Questions, Ali told Starmer: “November marks Islamophobia awareness month. Last year, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution condemning the desecration of religious texts, including the Koran, despite opposition from the previous government.
“Acts of such mindless desecration only serve to fuel division and hatred within our society.
“Will the PM commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions?”
In response, Starmer condemned the desecration as “awful” and deserving of unanimous disapproval across all political parties, affirming a commitment to combat all forms of “hatred,” including “Islamophobia.”
The Labour MP’s suggestion has triggered a backlash not only among his political opponents but also from free speech advocates and civil liberties campaigners.
In the political arena, Tory shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch explicitly stated their opposition to blasphemy laws, asserting that such legislation has no place in contemporary society. “I am against blasphemy laws,” Badenoch stated simply.
Nick Timothy, another Conservative MP, criticized the proposal’s absurdity, and Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe emphasized that under no circumstances should blasphemy laws be reintroduced.
