Free speech needs defending.

Byline: By Denise Robertson

Let's not wait for the loony right to take up the case of Stephen Green, director of evangelical group Christian Voice, who last week found himself in court accused of "behaviour likely to cause harassment or distress".

His crime was to hand out leaflets at a gay rally, leaflets which gave the biblical view of homosexuality. I abhor Mr Green's views, but defend his right to hold them. The way to defeat those views is by exposition of the facts, facts which make nonsense of what the Bible says.

The Reverend Rod Thomas, a vicar who represents 500 C of E clergy says: "The arrest represents an onslaught on the freedom of speech."

I don't much care for Mr Green, but I think he's right here. If, today, you ban views you don't like, someone, someday, will be banning those views you do espouse. And before anyone else points it out, if Stephen Green had been Muslim I'd bet a pound to a penny he could have been as disgustingly homophobic as he liked and still got away with it. So it's time for people of goodwill, whatever their point of view, to state publicly and firmly that free speech means just what it says.