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Lords row over banned Dutch MP

Wednesday, 11th February 2009

Lord Pearson of Rannoch

Two peers have condemned the government's action in banning a controversial Dutch MP from entering the UK amid fears his presence would endanger public security.

Freedom Party MP Geert Wilders was invited to the House of Lords to show his controversial film Fitna, which links the Koran to terrorism. The film caused outrage across the Muslim world when it was posted on the internet last year.

UKIP peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch and cross-bencher Baroness Cox responded with a press statement asking: "Would this have happened if Mr Wilders had said 'Ban the Bible'?"

The statement went on: "Our western society, and indeed the majority of peaceful Muslims, are being intimidated far too much by violent Islamists. On this occasion, the British government is guilty of appeasement. We do not agree with Geert Wilders that the Koran should be banned – even in Holland where Mein Kampf is banned. We don't want it banned but discussed – particularly by the majority Muslim community; and specifically as to whether it may promote or justify – or has promoted or justified – violence. We are therefore promoting freedom of speech.

"Geert Wilder's Fitna film (available on the web) is not a threat to anyone. It merely suggests how the Koran has been used by militant Islamists to promote and justify their violence. They react in fury and menace to our intention to show the film and have boasted that their threats of aggressive demonstrations prevented its previous showing in the Mother of Parliaments. This was not the case – the event was postponed to clarify issues of freedom of speech. The threat of intimidation in fact increases the justification for the film to be shown and discussed in Parliament and by the British and international press.

"Indeed, any alleged threats associated with Lord Ahmed of attempts to prevent the showing of the film would themselves be a confirmation of the film's message and the need for it to be shown. The subsequent action by the Home Office to try to deter Mr Wilders from coming to the UK has, we believe, been rightly condemned by the Dutch Foreign Minister, and is a further example of the appeasement policies of the British government in giving in to the threats of militant Islam.

"We intend to show and discuss the film with members of the British Parliament and the press as previously indicated, with or without Mr Wilders."

The press conference remains booked for Thursday 12 February (6.00-7.00 pm) at No. 1 Abbey Gardens

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