This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/talking_point/8033719.stm
The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Should people be barred from the UK? | Should people be barred from the UK? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Pastor Fred Phelps has been barred for his anti-gay comments | Pastor Fred Phelps has been barred for his anti-gay comments |
| The names of the people barred from entering the UK for fostering extremism or hatred have been published for the first time. Do you agree with them being publicly named? | The names of the people barred from entering the UK for fostering extremism or hatred have been published for the first time. Do you agree with them being publicly named? |
| Islamic extremists, white supremacists and a US radio host are among the 16 of 22 excluded to have been named by the Home Office since last October. | Islamic extremists, white supremacists and a US radio host are among the 16 of 22 excluded to have been named by the Home Office since last October. |
| Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said coming to the UK should be a privilege and that granting free speech did not provide a licence to preach hatred. | Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said coming to the UK should be a privilege and that granting free speech did not provide a licence to preach hatred. |
| Should people be excluded because of their views? Should the government only act if people have broken the law? Are there other reasons for barring people from the UK? | Should people be excluded because of their views? Should the government only act if people have broken the law? Are there other reasons for barring people from the UK? |
| We are having serious technical problems with the usual Have Your Say service which our engineers are working to fix. | We are having serious technical problems with the usual Have Your Say service which our engineers are working to fix. |
| In the meantime we are using the form on the right to ask for your comments. We will aim to publish as many of your views as we can. | In the meantime we are using the form on the right to ask for your comments. We will aim to publish as many of your views as we can. |
| We apologise for any inconvenience. | We apologise for any inconvenience. |
| Read the editor's blog about this fault | Read the editor's blog about this fault |
| A selection of the comments we have received so far: | A selection of the comments we have received so far: |
| Seems like a good idea to me. But I am surprised we are even allowed to ban EU residents. Or is that court case and EU fine on its way?Jim, Chelmsford UK | |
| Anyone who has views which could be seen as anti-British should not be allowed in. Otherwise nothing wrong with airing your viewsColin Greenall, Newhaven Sussex | |
| We all have the right to express our views but we also have to take responsibility for them and the consequences they bring. We often rant on about having freedom of speech and about our human rights - does that also mean we are free to disregard the rights of others?Yikes, Aberdeen | |
| Hmmm, I don't intend to befriend with those who are on the list but all the same they should be free to enter this country as they haven't broken any laws yet in this country. This system is becoming like the 'kangaroo' court that Stalin held during his reign. We're on the road towards totalitarianism - this should sound the alarm bells for all of us.Daz, St Albans, UK | Hmmm, I don't intend to befriend with those who are on the list but all the same they should be free to enter this country as they haven't broken any laws yet in this country. This system is becoming like the 'kangaroo' court that Stalin held during his reign. We're on the road towards totalitarianism - this should sound the alarm bells for all of us.Daz, St Albans, UK |
| This is getting scary. A government minister is now deciding what is allowed to be said and what's not..Kenny, Glasgow | This is getting scary. A government minister is now deciding what is allowed to be said and what's not..Kenny, Glasgow |
| Their names are published and you even list the reason they are barred. This is certainly better than the way the Americans are doing it. They could learn from this example. To make it even better, publish all the names, and reasons, and who made the decision to add the name to the list. This makes them responsible for their action, and helps reduce the instances of people being barred for silly reasons. It would be even better if there's a way to appeal the decision.Mike Lee, Batu Caves, Malaysia | Their names are published and you even list the reason they are barred. This is certainly better than the way the Americans are doing it. They could learn from this example. To make it even better, publish all the names, and reasons, and who made the decision to add the name to the list. This makes them responsible for their action, and helps reduce the instances of people being barred for silly reasons. It would be even better if there's a way to appeal the decision.Mike Lee, Batu Caves, Malaysia |
| Free speech is all well and good if the mind and mouth that thinks and utters the words are uncluttered of hatred and intent on harm. We all have an opinion and a view and all like to be heard! But if we only want to be heard to spread hatred then the world is a sorry place. Some like to go about their daily lives in peace and harmony and for someone to hurt or maim them takes away their human rights. I agree that people who use power to hurt should be barred from the UK.Carol, York England | Free speech is all well and good if the mind and mouth that thinks and utters the words are uncluttered of hatred and intent on harm. We all have an opinion and a view and all like to be heard! But if we only want to be heard to spread hatred then the world is a sorry place. Some like to go about their daily lives in peace and harmony and for someone to hurt or maim them takes away their human rights. I agree that people who use power to hurt should be barred from the UK.Carol, York England |
| Free speech is a black and white issue. Either speech is free, or it's not. You can't have people deciding what is free or not - because then its not free is it?Rose Sco, Cornwall | Free speech is a black and white issue. Either speech is free, or it's not. You can't have people deciding what is free or not - because then its not free is it?Rose Sco, Cornwall |
| "I disagree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it" Some peoples' views, however obnoxious, should not be sole grounds for New Labour to bar them from entering the country. There must be an outlet in this country for people to air extreme views, given that our 'first past the post' electoral system effectively denies them a voice in the 'body politic' (Hence 'Speakers Corner). It is yet another tradition being destroyed by New Labour.Alasdair Campbell, Bath UK | "I disagree with what you say, but I will defend your right to say it" Some peoples' views, however obnoxious, should not be sole grounds for New Labour to bar them from entering the country. There must be an outlet in this country for people to air extreme views, given that our 'first past the post' electoral system effectively denies them a voice in the 'body politic' (Hence 'Speakers Corner). It is yet another tradition being destroyed by New Labour.Alasdair Campbell, Bath UK |
| You know what drives support for the BNP? Spineless politicians who are more interested in Europe and international relations than their own people. I'm a skinhead, and i think white supermacism and racism is ridiculous. But I also don't want hate preachers on my door step and people offending our brave army. Racism and hate works both ways, and if people don't like our way of life (liberals included) then they shouldn't come here in the first place....but then again with handouts paid for by hard working everyday like you and me...I'm not surprised people come in their thousands. If you want to stop organisations like the BNP put the majority first and don't pander to minority groups with jobs, special services, homes, special funding so that everyone else has to go without. Racism is a disgrace, but this is not a race issue, its common sense and i think a lot of people are missing some of it these days.Rick, St Helens, England | You know what drives support for the BNP? Spineless politicians who are more interested in Europe and international relations than their own people. I'm a skinhead, and i think white supermacism and racism is ridiculous. But I also don't want hate preachers on my door step and people offending our brave army. Racism and hate works both ways, and if people don't like our way of life (liberals included) then they shouldn't come here in the first place....but then again with handouts paid for by hard working everyday like you and me...I'm not surprised people come in their thousands. If you want to stop organisations like the BNP put the majority first and don't pander to minority groups with jobs, special services, homes, special funding so that everyone else has to go without. Racism is a disgrace, but this is not a race issue, its common sense and i think a lot of people are missing some of it these days.Rick, St Helens, England |
| Absolutely, they should be barred if their views are gratuitously offensive. Yes, freedom of speech is a universal right, but it is a right these people can employ just as well on their own soil. Coming here to voice their opinions is not essential to their beliefs or our understanding of them.Neil Hardie, Aberdeen, United Kingdom | Absolutely, they should be barred if their views are gratuitously offensive. Yes, freedom of speech is a universal right, but it is a right these people can employ just as well on their own soil. Coming here to voice their opinions is not essential to their beliefs or our understanding of them.Neil Hardie, Aberdeen, United Kingdom |
| No politician is sufficiently wise or honest to control what speech is permissible. I believe people should have the right to free speech, including abusive and offensive speech such as "Winston Churchill warned that Islam was a threat to the civilisation of modern Europe. We therefore need to get Islam out of this country before there is a civil war"J English, UK | No politician is sufficiently wise or honest to control what speech is permissible. I believe people should have the right to free speech, including abusive and offensive speech such as "Winston Churchill warned that Islam was a threat to the civilisation of modern Europe. We therefore need to get Islam out of this country before there is a civil war"J English, UK |
| "If they are prepared to die for this country, they should be allowed to live in this country" is a strong guiding principle for those who live here and those who wish to come here. Freedom of speech and expression should be protected, but we should in no way accommodate ANYONE who is intolerant, extremist or who wishes to sow messages of hate, violence, intolerance, racism or any other ideology that is inherently anti-freedom.Martin Callan, London | "If they are prepared to die for this country, they should be allowed to live in this country" is a strong guiding principle for those who live here and those who wish to come here. Freedom of speech and expression should be protected, but we should in no way accommodate ANYONE who is intolerant, extremist or who wishes to sow messages of hate, violence, intolerance, racism or any other ideology that is inherently anti-freedom.Martin Callan, London |
| No, people should not be barred from the UK simply because of expressing their views. Unfortunately, under this Labour government, we have already gone a long way down the road of suppressing freedom of speech. Public expression of opinions that are merely subjectively racist, homophobic, or 'scare' the beholder, are already enough to get you into trouble with the law. This is designed to shutdown debate, and is the precursor to 'thought-crime'. Notice that only left-wing prejudices and tastes are protected which is obviously politically partisan. So, should a Tory government be allowed to ban public expressions of hatred for the rich? What next is to be banned? In a free society, anyone should have the right to offend with words, without fear of litigation.Peter, Cambridge, UK | No, people should not be barred from the UK simply because of expressing their views. Unfortunately, under this Labour government, we have already gone a long way down the road of suppressing freedom of speech. Public expression of opinions that are merely subjectively racist, homophobic, or 'scare' the beholder, are already enough to get you into trouble with the law. This is designed to shutdown debate, and is the precursor to 'thought-crime'. Notice that only left-wing prejudices and tastes are protected which is obviously politically partisan. So, should a Tory government be allowed to ban public expressions of hatred for the rich? What next is to be banned? In a free society, anyone should have the right to offend with words, without fear of litigation.Peter, Cambridge, UK |
| Yes. Entry into any country, other than one's own, is optional and a privilege, not compulsory and a right. They can and should be able to express their views, however abhorrent, remotely by local media though, in defence to this country's traditions of freedom of expression.Muhammad Zaman, Oxford | Yes. Entry into any country, other than one's own, is optional and a privilege, not compulsory and a right. They can and should be able to express their views, however abhorrent, remotely by local media though, in defence to this country's traditions of freedom of expression.Muhammad Zaman, Oxford |
| The report that the names of the people barred from entering the UK for fostering extremism or hatred have been published for the first time seems and sounds good for any country of the world. However, I do not find myself agree with them being publicly named. People should be excluded because of their views finding no negativism. The government should only act if people have broken the law. Nevertheless, there can be other reasons too for barring people from the UK.A.R.Shams, Pakistan | The report that the names of the people barred from entering the UK for fostering extremism or hatred have been published for the first time seems and sounds good for any country of the world. However, I do not find myself agree with them being publicly named. People should be excluded because of their views finding no negativism. The government should only act if people have broken the law. Nevertheless, there can be other reasons too for barring people from the UK.A.R.Shams, Pakistan |
| Yes I feel these people should be barred from entering the UK. These undesirables vent the anger against the vast majority of normal people. They aggravate violence and are proud to do so, they do not care about a united kingdom as they have their own agenda.Stuart Millar, Gillingham, United Kingdom | Yes I feel these people should be barred from entering the UK. These undesirables vent the anger against the vast majority of normal people. They aggravate violence and are proud to do so, they do not care about a united kingdom as they have their own agenda.Stuart Millar, Gillingham, United Kingdom |
| No, I do not agree with them being named or in most cases barred in the first place. If they have not broken UK law while in the UK there can be no legitimate grounds for this. If these are to be banned, why is the Iranian prime minister not on the list, for example? This is thought police territory and has no place in our society whatsoever.A Daily, London | No, I do not agree with them being named or in most cases barred in the first place. If they have not broken UK law while in the UK there can be no legitimate grounds for this. If these are to be banned, why is the Iranian prime minister not on the list, for example? This is thought police territory and has no place in our society whatsoever.A Daily, London |
| Right, so out of the whole world, Labour has decided that only 22 people are unfit to come to Britain. It's not much of an immigration policy, is it?Paul, Norwich | Right, so out of the whole world, Labour has decided that only 22 people are unfit to come to Britain. It's not much of an immigration policy, is it?Paul, Norwich |
| If coming to the UK is a privilege, why do we appear to throw open our doors to all and sundry who have not earned the privilege to be here, and yet those who have ie: the Gurkhas are having to fight tooth and nail to be allowed to stay. Double standards, from a double standards party, quit and let someone else have a go, you've failed.Steve | If coming to the UK is a privilege, why do we appear to throw open our doors to all and sundry who have not earned the privilege to be here, and yet those who have ie: the Gurkhas are having to fight tooth and nail to be allowed to stay. Double standards, from a double standards party, quit and let someone else have a go, you've failed.Steve |
| I think this is a very good idea. I guess that the Parliamentary vote last week will mean that the Gurkhas wont be on the unwanted list now.Steve Adkins, Chesham, England | I think this is a very good idea. I guess that the Parliamentary vote last week will mean that the Gurkhas wont be on the unwanted list now.Steve Adkins, Chesham, England |
| Of course extremists should be barred from the UK. Whether they're Muslim or Christian extremists, we are a liberal country, and bigoted views simply aren't welcome here.Edna Welthorp, Sandhurst | Of course extremists should be barred from the UK. Whether they're Muslim or Christian extremists, we are a liberal country, and bigoted views simply aren't welcome here.Edna Welthorp, Sandhurst |
| Only those with a criminal record of violence-related crimes should be barred. Others should be allowed to enter but prosecuted if they break any of our laws while in this country. Free speech is an essential part of our way of life; other wise those with unpalatable views will be driven underground and pose a much greater threat. Tommy, Cardiff | Only those with a criminal record of violence-related crimes should be barred. Others should be allowed to enter but prosecuted if they break any of our laws while in this country. Free speech is an essential part of our way of life; other wise those with unpalatable views will be driven underground and pose a much greater threat. Tommy, Cardiff |
| We should send home or refuse entry to anyone we don't like the look of without giving any reason at all. If they get a parking ticket send them home. No trials. No questions. No answers just say goodbye. This country has totally lost the plot.Greg Kendall, Barnsley | We should send home or refuse entry to anyone we don't like the look of without giving any reason at all. If they get a parking ticket send them home. No trials. No questions. No answers just say goodbye. This country has totally lost the plot.Greg Kendall, Barnsley |
| People should have a right to say what they think. Saying and doing are two different things. Tough luck if the government doesn't agree with their opinion. Freedom of speech is another right that has been eroded under Nu Labour.Mike, Dundee | People should have a right to say what they think. Saying and doing are two different things. Tough luck if the government doesn't agree with their opinion. Freedom of speech is another right that has been eroded under Nu Labour.Mike, Dundee |
| As long as people like Abu Hamza and other undesirable 'clerics' or people who trade on extreme views are also barred or deported. There should be no 'Human Rights Issues' as the human rights of those who could suffer at the hands of these idiots would be worse affected then their own. We take a manby panby attitude to human rights and abide by it! Why - those who commit crimes should go without human rights - other European Countries are not so easySimon, UK | As long as people like Abu Hamza and other undesirable 'clerics' or people who trade on extreme views are also barred or deported. There should be no 'Human Rights Issues' as the human rights of those who could suffer at the hands of these idiots would be worse affected then their own. We take a manby panby attitude to human rights and abide by it! Why - those who commit crimes should go without human rights - other European Countries are not so easySimon, UK |
| The problem with banning orders is that the government doing the banning is making subjective decisions, and for government, you could read 'Home Office Minister'. The fact that one person can restrict entry into a democratic society based on personal feelings is wrong. Where most people identify with banning those who advocate violence or are blatantly anti British, the banning of an elected Dutch MP or a priest who opposes homosexuals (don't all Catholics?) on the grounds that the Home Office did not like what they are saying, albeit the truth, smacks of Big Brother. If we are to have a banning order, the grounds of what constitutes 'unacceptable behaviour' should be made crystal clear and defined by debate. Noddy, Hampshire | The problem with banning orders is that the government doing the banning is making subjective decisions, and for government, you could read 'Home Office Minister'. The fact that one person can restrict entry into a democratic society based on personal feelings is wrong. Where most people identify with banning those who advocate violence or are blatantly anti British, the banning of an elected Dutch MP or a priest who opposes homosexuals (don't all Catholics?) on the grounds that the Home Office did not like what they are saying, albeit the truth, smacks of Big Brother. If we are to have a banning order, the grounds of what constitutes 'unacceptable behaviour' should be made crystal clear and defined by debate. Noddy, Hampshire |
| I do not feel that refusing people entry based on their opinions is legitimate. If they actually break the law that is something quite different. Opinions are like backsides, everybody has one... if you don't agree with someone's views it's open to you to present your rebuttal.Megan, Cheshire UK | I do not feel that refusing people entry based on their opinions is legitimate. If they actually break the law that is something quite different. Opinions are like backsides, everybody has one... if you don't agree with someone's views it's open to you to present your rebuttal.Megan, Cheshire UK |
| Yes, people should be barred because of their views when their aim is to stir up hatred and violence. Claire Herbert, London | Yes, people should be barred because of their views when their aim is to stir up hatred and violence. Claire Herbert, London |
| No individual should be banned unless they present a clear and present danger. Not a danger they might offend someone. Free speech is an absolute!Jon Sanderson, Retford | No individual should be banned unless they present a clear and present danger. Not a danger they might offend someone. Free speech is an absolute!Jon Sanderson, Retford |