Does UK Discriminate Against Christians? Don’t Even Ask

Discrimination Against Christians? Don’t Even Ask
ICC Note
UK based Christian radio organization was prohibited from asking its listners whether they face discrimination as Christians. Such decision is against freedom of expression and we agree with the statment by the radio station’s chief executive who said the decision “greatly reduces the right of ordinary people to have their say in democratic debate and, regrettably, seems to be wholly reminiscent of a totalitarian state.”
08/23/2012 UK (WND)-A years-long fight by a Christian radio organization in the United Kingdom to just ask people whether they’ve faced discrimination over their Christianity may be coming closer to a resolution, with a determination that an appeal will be allowed.
The proposal was from Premier Christian Radio, which wanted to carry an ad stating: “We are CCP. Surveys have shown that over 60 percent of active Christians consider that Christians are being increasingly marginalized in the workplace. We are concerned to get the most accurate data to inform the public debate. We will then use this data to help make a fairer society. Please visit CCP magazines.co.uk and report your experience.”
However, the United Kingdom’s Radio Advertising Clearance Center declared the ad to be “political” and barred it.
The radio station argued it was not political, but merely an attempt to gather accurate information.
Now an appeal of a court decision to throw out the station’s argument has been approved, because the case is “arguable and important.”
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A decision earlier this year by the High Court that affirmed the ban had threatened the nation’s free speech, said Peter Kerridge, the radio station’s chief executive.
“The decision represents a direct threat to the democratic right to freedom of speech and we intend to continue the fight through the appeal process,” he said. “It greatly reduces the right of ordinary people to have their say in democratic debate and, regrettably, seems to be wholly reminiscent of a totalitarian state.”
The ad had been prepared for use in 2010 following the results of surveys for magazine publishers Christian Communications Partnership found more than 60 percent of active Christians believed that members of the faith increasingly faced discrimination.
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