Guido will believe it when he sees the devil in the detail but it sounds like the Home Office are starting to realise that the game is up when it comes to Section 5 of the Public Order Act – the law that says you cannot offend people. Campaign group Big Brother Watch report:

“Speaking as the Crime and Courts Bill returned to the Commons for its second reading, the Home Secretary confirmed the Government would accept Lord Dear’s amendment to the legislation and support amending the Public Order Act 1986 to remove the word ‘insulting’ from Section 5 of the Act.

This is a triumph for David Davis MP, Peter Tatchell, Rowan Atkinson, the Reform Section 5 campaign and all those who like Big Brother Watch supported the campaign – from the National Secular Society to the Christian Institute.”

It only took the government a year to respond to the public consultation.

UPDATE: