Britain's blasphemy law no longer sacred

After a teddy bear incident and much debate, the House of Lords votes to abolish it.

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Thus began a period of collective soul-searching on free speech and secularism, traditional values and the church that anoints Britain's queen. It culminated Wednesday in a 148-87 vote in the House of Lords to abolish the laws on blasphemy after a wrenching, two-hour debate.

"It is crystal-clear that the offenses of blasphemy and blasphemous libel are unworkable in today's society," Kay Andrews said in introducing the government-backed amendment, adding that "as long as this law remains on the statute books, it hinders the UK's ability to challenge oppressive blasphemy laws in other jurisdictions."
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Wednesday's vote in the upper house of Parliament was an amendment to a broad proposed law on criminal justice that must still go back to the House of Commons for approval before taking effect. Still, the vote was seen as a crucial hurdle in a process that is now all but assured.

"The law on blasphemy will be abolished. And good riddance, is what we say," Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, said in an interview. "It's an unusable law, as it stands at the moment, and in the past it's been a very cruel law."

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-blasphemy6mar06,1,1925105.story?ctrack=2&cset=true

Dr Sentamu did not vote in the division to the amendment. The Bishops of Durham and Portsmouth both voted with the Government; while the Bishops of Chester, Rochester, and Southwell & Nottingham all voted against the amendment.

http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=53079