Letter from Westminster
February 9, 2006 12:00 AM
By Stephen Williams MP in Clifton Chronicle
By Stephen Williams MP in Clifton Chronicle
Have I moaned about our trains before? Hardly a week goes by without me either being delayed on my way to London or on my way home back to Bristol. Then there's the joy of being packed like sardines in a hot tin known as the Tube while "unfortunately suffering severe delays today owing to….take your pick of excuses." This week was no exception. It's hard to believe that the Temple Meads to Paddington journey is one of the most expensive in the world.
At Education Select Committee this week we took evidence on teaching children to read. A Conservative MP made quite a good point when she said that we've had state schooling since late Victorian times, so why haven't we got the basics right yet? The current debate is over whether "phonics" is the best way to teach children to read by making them pronounce each syllable out loud. Personally, I think the methods used in schools are of lesser importance than having an inspiring teacher and support and encouragement at home.
Last week I wrote about sex and politics. This week it was religion that came to the fore. The Parliamentary event of the week was the double defeat of the government on aspects of the Religious Hatred Bill. The government claimed that the Bill would stop racists and other extremists from attacking people via their religion. The Bill brought together an unlikely coalition of religious groups, secularists and comedians, all claiming that the Bill was an attack on free speech.
The churches argued that it would stop preachers from proselytising their faith. Secularists argued that it would stop them criticising religious beliefs while comedians were worried that they could no longer poke fun at religion.
I believe that a sign of a mature society is our ability to have a laugh at each other. Sometimes the joke may be just humorous. On other occasions the intention might be to heap ridicule on a particular belief or practice. If religious beliefs are strongly held then surely your faith can withstand criticism and scrutiny.
In Parliament the House of Lords had amended the Bill. When it came back to the Commons the government was intent on reversing the amendments. The Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives and a group of Labour MPs tabled counter amendments. The first allowed the ridiculing of religion, as long as the words were not threatening. The second demanded that the prosecution prove that the accused intended to cause hatred of a religious group.
It was a dramatic moment when the first amendment was carried by ten votes. There was even more drama when the government lost again, this time by one vote. Mr Blair stayed away from the second vote. I'm pleased to say that Charles Kennedy was back in Parliament to participate in these two government defeats. The bad news for the Prime Minister is that I think there are several more defeats to come.
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