Ben Chapman
Guest Reporter
GB News star Michelle Dewberry has criticised Sir Keir Starmer for failing to firmly reject calls for blasphemy laws during Prime Minister's Questions.
"I'd prefer if my Prime Minister had a set of chops about him and turned around to that MP and said, 'no. We won't have blasphemy laws, thank you very much'," Dewberry said.
The broadcaster expressed her disappointment in Starmer's non-committal response to the issue.
"I'd have preferred him to have said we won't be introducing them. That's what I want to see," she added.
During PMQs, Labour MP Tahir Ali urged action against the "desecration of religious texts", including the Koran.
Ali, who represents Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley, highlighted that the UN Human Rights Council had adopted a resolution condemning such acts.
"Acts of such mindless desecration only serve to fuel division and hatred within our society," Ali told the Commons.
In response, Starmer said: "Desecration is awful and I think should be condemned across the House."
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The Labour leader added that his party was "committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including Islamophobia in all its forms."
Political commentator Charlie Downes emphasised the UK's position as a secular state in response to the debate.
"The UK is a nominally secular state, the way we are governed is atheistic lines," Downes said on GB News.
He warned that this liberal approach could create vulnerabilities in British institutions.
"This liberal idea that the state is neutral on this topic opens the door to aggressive religions like Islam, like woke, it sees the institutions subverted because there are no defence mechanisms against these things," he explained.
Downes advocated for protecting British identity, stating: "The question is not whether, but which. I would prefer to see British identity and history protected and Christianity."
Senior Conservative figures have strongly opposed any move towards blasphemy laws in the UK.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick criticised Starmer's response on social media, stating: "A Labour MP calls for a law to ban criticism of prophets. Starmer does not rule it out. The answer was simple: Blasphemy laws have no place in the UK."
Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe echoed this sentiment, saying: "We do not, and must not, have blasphemy laws - regardless of which religion feels offended."
Policy Exchange's senior research fellow Lara Brown added: "Alarmingly Keir Starmer's response is not a flat out refusal. Blasphemy laws have no place in the UK."
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also weighed in, stating simply: "I am against blasphemy laws."
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"I'd prefer if my Prime Minister had a set of chops about him and turned around to that MP and said, 'no. We won't have blasphemy laws, thank you very much'," Dewberry said.
The broadcaster expressed her disappointment in Starmer's non-committal response to the issue.
"I'd have preferred him to have said we won't be introducing them. That's what I want to see," she added.
During PMQs, Labour MP Tahir Ali urged action against the "desecration of religious texts", including the Koran.
Ali, who represents Birmingham Hall Green and Moseley, highlighted that the UN Human Rights Council had adopted a resolution condemning such acts.
"Acts of such mindless desecration only serve to fuel division and hatred within our society," Ali told the Commons.
In response, Starmer said: "Desecration is awful and I think should be condemned across the House."
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The Labour leader added that his party was "committed to tackling all forms of hatred and division, including Islamophobia in all its forms."
Political commentator Charlie Downes emphasised the UK's position as a secular state in response to the debate.
"The UK is a nominally secular state, the way we are governed is atheistic lines," Downes said on GB News.
He warned that this liberal approach could create vulnerabilities in British institutions.
"This liberal idea that the state is neutral on this topic opens the door to aggressive religions like Islam, like woke, it sees the institutions subverted because there are no defence mechanisms against these things," he explained.
Downes advocated for protecting British identity, stating: "The question is not whether, but which. I would prefer to see British identity and history protected and Christianity."
Senior Conservative figures have strongly opposed any move towards blasphemy laws in the UK.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick criticised Starmer's response on social media, stating: "A Labour MP calls for a law to ban criticism of prophets. Starmer does not rule it out. The answer was simple: Blasphemy laws have no place in the UK."
Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe echoed this sentiment, saying: "We do not, and must not, have blasphemy laws - regardless of which religion feels offended."
Policy Exchange's senior research fellow Lara Brown added: "Alarmingly Keir Starmer's response is not a flat out refusal. Blasphemy laws have no place in the UK."
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also weighed in, stating simply: "I am against blasphemy laws."
Find Out More...