Recent developments in the United Kingdom have sparked a debate over the application of blasphemy-like laws, with high-profile figures calling for change. Nick Timothy, previously Chief of Staff for former Prime Minister Theresa May, has emerged as a vocal critic of using the Public Order Act to prosecute individuals for actions perceived to insult religious beliefs.
Timothy’s call to action follows the arrest and impending trial of a man accused of burning a Quran near a memorial for victims of the Manchester Arena bombing. In another related incident, a separate individual was fined for similarly burning a Quran and making derogatory remarks about Islam outside the Turkish embassy, incurring a penalty of £240 plus a £96 surcharge.
During an interview with Focus on Western Islamism (FWI), Timothy criticized the police’s focus on curbing these acts rather than addressing threats posed by violent religious groups. The activist, who shared his own history of persecution and imprisonment in Türkiye, expressed his commitment to freedom of expression despite personal risks.
“I have been struggling as an activist for 33 years. I have been in prison for years in Türkiye, I have been tortured. On February 16, after returning from London, I was attacked by two Iraqi Muslims in Derby, but the police released those attackers the same evening,” he recounted.
He maintains a clear stance against violence, stating, “I am a humanist; I am against violence. But the Islamists are trying to kill me. They take their orders from the Qur’an. I am not afraid. I know they will try to kill me. There is a price for my struggle and I am ready to pay that price.”
Currently serving as a Member of Parliament, Timothy has proposed legislation aimed at preventing the misuse of the Public Order Act as a form of blasphemy law. His proposed bill seeks to reaffirm the rights to free speech and the critique of all religions, including Islam.
“My bill will put a stop to this and restore our freedom of speech — and our right to criticise any and all religions, including Islam,” he emphasized in his interview with FWI.
When addressing Parliament, Timothy was advised against naming the individuals affected by the current application of the law. Nevertheless, he took a firm position on religious critique, asserting, “I do not believe that Mohammed was a Prophet sent by God. I do not accept the instructions he said he received from the Archangel Gabriel. I do not accept that the Sunna, or body of Islamic laws, has any relevance to me. I respect the religious beliefs of others, but I do not mind if Muhammad is satirised, criticised or mocked. I am not a Muslim, and I choose not to live by the moral codes set out by Islam.
“I am a Christian, and I should make it clear that I do not think anybody should be prosecuted for satirising, criticising, or mocking Jesus either.”
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
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