Prevent the Reintroduction of Blasphemy Laws in the UK

Rejected 21 signatures

What the petition asks

We urge the UK Government and Parliament to reject any proposals to reintroduce blasphemy laws or equivalent restrictions on freedom of expression, including those framed as protections against "desecration" of religious texts or beliefsExisting laws, like the Public Order Act 1986.

Amend the Public Order Act to extend free speech protections under Section 29J to all its sections, preventing misuse of blasphemy laws.
Commit to upholding freedom of expression as a fundamental right, ensuring no religion is shielded from criticism.
Blasphemy laws were abolished in England and Wales in 2008 and Scotland in 2021 Free speech must include the right to challenge or mock beliefs, as supported by Humanists UK and the National Secular Society, to maintain a pluralistic society.

Why it was rejected

It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.

The Government have said that they are not going to introduce blasphemy laws:
https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-12-18/debates/ba455fa1-fb15-4e1b-b4c9-884dfdaeb83e/CommonsChamber#contribution-83E4227E-B766-4980-9AFC-A77C90D20A59

Timeline

8 Jul 2025	Petition opened for signatures
29 Jul 2025	Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 21

Status Rejected

Rejected 29 Jul 2025

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