The Anglican Bishop of Winchester has opposed an attempt to abolish the offence of blasphemy in Northern Ireland.He argued in the British House of Lords that though the blasphemy law, when it existed on the UK mainland, was “unusable” it “stands for something in relation to the character of society and the Christian heritage”.
Speaking out against the move by the Liberal Democrat Lord Lester of Herne Hill to overturn the offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel in the province, Bishop Michael Scott-Joynt said: “Taking into account what is still manifestly a fraught interreligious, as well as political, situation in Northern Ireland, it really does not behove this House or this Parliament to risk exacerbating that, which I suspect this matter just could.”
Justice minister Lord Bach also rejected the move, and said it would be best for the Northern Ireland Assembly to consider the matter “once it assumes responsibility for the criminal law”.
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