The Muslim Council of Britain together with the Law Society and the Association of Chief Police Officers will today – at a meeting in the House of Commons - be calling upon the House of Lords to support legislation to outlaw incitement to religious hatred. Leading human rights lawyer, Robin Allen QC, and the Guardian columnist, Madeleine Bunting, will also join them.

`We hope that the members of the House of Lords will appreciate the diverse support this vital piece of equality legislation has. Indeed, we see it as an important step towards ensuring the long-term safety of our community. We urge the members of the House of Lords to give consideration to the views of the Commission for Racial Equality and ACPO, who have knowledge and experience in the use of the current racial incitement laws, which already protect the Jewish and Sikh communities. We hope they will use this opportunity to finally close this loophole in our legislation and end the hierarchy of rights which currently exists,' said Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Britain.

[Ends]

Notes to Editors:
1. The meeting is due to take place on Thursday 10th March 2005, at 4.00pm at the Jubilee Room, House of Commons.


2. The meeting will be hosted by Baroness Richardson, Lord Bhatia and Mohammad Sarwar MP.


3. The speakers will include:
a. Janet Paraskeva, Chief Executive, Law Society
b. Gay Moon, Head of Equality Project, JUSTICE
c. Madeleine Bunting, columnist , The Guardian
d. Iqbal Sacranie, Secretary-General, MCB
e. Robert Beckley, Asst. Chief Constable, ACPO
f. Hanne Stinson, British Humanist Association
g. Other faith and Community Leaders delegation.

4.The Muslim Council of Britain (www.mcb.org.uk) is the UK's representative Muslim umbrella body with over 400 affiliated national, regional and local organisations, mosques, charities and schools.

For further information please contact: The Muslim Council of Britain, Boardman House, 64 Broadway, Stratford, London E15 1NT,
Tel: 07708 065 150 or 0208 432 0585/6, Fax: 0208 432 0587, Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , Website: http://www.mcb.org.uk