Submitted by: George Woods and Ruqayyah Collector

Date: 11 December 2006

NEC believes:

1. Recent comments by media and politicians have revealed a growing climate of intolerance particularly towards the Muslim community.

2. Recent comments by media and politicians have revealed a growing climate of intolerance particularly towards the Muslim community.

3. This has included calls from politicians and the media for Muslim women to remove their veils including calls from some quarters for wearing the veil to be banned.

4. This saw a climate created in which women wearing the veil were subject to violent racist attack.

5. Freedom to dress as you choose, cultural and religious freedoms and freedom of expression are important rights that should be defended.

NEC further believes:

1. On 20 th November an unprecedented alliance came together in a rally at Westminster Central Hall under the slogan 'Defend freedom of religion, conscience and thought - End attacks on Muslims'.

2. The rally, organized by Liberty and the British Muslim Initiative brought together speakers from all the main political parties, the trade union movement including UCU general Secretary Paul Mackney; representatives of the Muslim, Christian, Jewish and Sikh faiths alongside atheists including playwright David Edgar; Labour, Anti-Racists, human rights campaigners and others.

3. The organizers of the rally have launched the following statement and are encouraging organizations and individuals to add their names to it.

"We believe that our most fundamental human rights include the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and cultural expression.

These rights, which must be defended for all groups in society, are presently severely threatened by the rise in hostility and attacks against the Muslim communities. This constitutes an attack on the civil and religious liberties of all of us.

It took hundreds of years of struggles, including international and civil wars, to establish these rights subject only to the proportionate protection of the human rights and freedoms of others.

We believe that at this time it is necessary for democrats, of all faiths and none, to come together to defend these fundamental freedoms, and that our society must be true to its values of mutual respect."

NEC resolves:

1. To add our name to the above statement and encourage students' unions and student officers to do the same and support further initiatives of the campaign.

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