Here's the latest on the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill that was the focus of my previous post:

The government has been heavily defeated in the Lords over plans to outlaw incitement to religious hatred.

Peers voted by a majority of 149 in favour of a cross-bench move to put freedom of speech safeguards into the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. Opponents say proposed legislation is drawn too widely and could outlaw criticisms of beliefs.
. . .
Ministers reject claims that the current bill would stop free speech. But comedian Rowan Atkinson has called it "draconian". Last week a group of opponents, including him and former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, suggested a series of amendments.

These include making sure nobody is found guilty of religious hate crimes unless it is proved they intended to stir up hatred. Only "threatening words" should be banned by the bill, not those which are only abusive or insulting, they added.

Could it be that the Brits are not yet willing to be fully Canadianized?

Click on this link for a photo of a bearded Rowan Atkinson looking pensive.

via Fjordman.