There will be no blasphemy law in the UK – Prime Minister

The UK will not introduce a new blasphemy law, the Prime Minister has pledged.

Sir Keir Starmer made the assurance during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.

He was responding to a question from Graham Stringer, the Labour MP for Blackley and Middleton South, who said: “This country can be proud of its history of religious tolerance and religious freedom, the quid pro quo of that is the right to criticise religion.

“Can the Prime Minister assure this House that there will be no introduction or reintroduction of a blasphemy law, either by statute, by judicial overreach, or by a non-statutory definition of Islamophobia?”

Mr Stringer’s question was met with a cheer from the Conservative benches in the Commons.

Sir Keir responded: “Yes, I can give him that assurance, and it’s important that I do so.”

Later, Independent MP Shockat Adam (Leicester South), told the Commons that no religion was beyond critique or scrutiny, but added: “Islamophobia is real.”

He said: “I would like to ask the Prime Minister that in opposition, the definition of Islamophobia was adopted (by the Labour Party).

“In Government, it has been dropped. Can I ask what’s changed?”

Sir Keir did not respond to whether the definition had been dropped.

He said: “Hatred in all its forms should be condemned by all of us in this House, and that includes anti-Muslim hatred as well, and we intend to act on it.”