Yesterday critics against the proposed new religious hatred bill in the UK have hit many newspaper headlines. In the midst of the widespread debate, the Evangelical Alliance UK (EAUK) has expressed a deep concern over the legislation, which may affect free speech of millions of Christians in the country.

The proposed Racial and Religious Hatred Bill will extend current offences on incitement to racial hatred under the 1986 Public Order Act to cover the stirring up of hatred against people of any religious faith. The aim is to protect people from being victimised for their "beliefs". The law applies to comments made in public or in the media, as well as through written material.

However, both the Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats have warned that the law would undermine freedom of speech.

Conservative shadow Home Secretary David Davis said to the BBC, "Religion, unlike race, is a matter of personal choice and therefore appropriate for open debate."

"Whilst this new law would technically prevent what many people may regard as reasonable criticism of devil worshippers and religious cults."

Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society, commented when speaking to Scotsman newspaper, "The Government is rushing, ignoring all the opposition with legislation that will have the effect of restricting the expression of thought and opinion."

"The maximum penalty will be seven years in jail and will be used by religious extremists to silence the more moderate and political commentators."

The EAUK believes that the Bill will undermine fundamental civil liberties, cause widespread confusion and generate community tensions.

Dr Don Horrocks, head of public affairs at the Evangelical Alliance said, "The Government has been insistent on passing this legislation despite the very reasoned warnings of a whole range of groups worried about the erosion of civil liberties. People should be very concerned about this unnecessary new law. It will have the effect of stifling robust religious debate, both oral and written, at a time when people of all faiths need to be able to discuss ideas and concepts freely without fear of prosecution."

Dr Horrocks continued, "There are major problems in legislating to make hatred against people on account of their religion and belief equivalent to race hatred. The two are not equivalent. You can change your beliefs, but you can't change your racial identity. If this legislation goes through we fear it could exacerbate religious tension and community division where none currently exists. In our view the Bill is political. The Government has apparently chosen to impose this legislation again in a post-election show of strength without consultation with faith groups and others who will be affected by it."

The previous bill failed to get through Parliament before the UK General Election after widespread opposition in both the Commons and the Lords.