[JURIST] Britain's House of Lords [official website] on Tuesday substantially amended the Blair government's controversial Racial and Religious Hatred Bill [text; BBC Q/A]. The bill outlawing incitement to religious hatred was originally proposed last year [JURIST report], and Prime Minister Tony Blair began pushing again for its adoption after the July bombings in London. Critics of the proposed legislation, including comedians [JURIST report] as well as civil libertarians, have argued the measure would ban free speech. Under the amended version [official amendments] of the bill, the government would be able to apply the law only in the context of a criminal prosecution. The amended bill now goes back to the House of Commons; it is unclear whether the government will accept some of the amendments or will try to override the Lords. Reuters has more.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase…

• UK Lords debate religious hatred bill amid protests
• UK Commons passes religious hatred bill
• UK religious hate bill survives Commons challenge
• Britain to reintroduce anti-religious hatred bill
• English comic slams UK religious hatred bill
• New religious hate laws proposed in Britain