One of the most interesting aspects of modern public political campaigning is the advent of cross party campaigns.

Longstanding political opponents who have become used to criticising one another suddenly find themselves on the same stage, speaking from the same platform for a cause which they support.

In the debate over Britain's entry into the then Common Market, Enoch Powell and Tony Benn were to be found standing shoulder to shoulder in their opposition.

While their reasoning might have come from different extremes of the political spectrum, their desired outcome was united.

Tomorrow the Government's proposed Religious Hatred Bill will be debated in the House of Lords. In preparation for the debate, the Evangelical Alliance, a loose grouping of evangelical Christians, has been protesting over the weekend at what it sees as an unjust piece of legislation which will curtail their right to disavow members of other faiths whom they consider to be idol worshippers.

The potential loss of this right, combined with the Orwellian prospect of being locked up for preaching your faith, has served as the rallying cry for Christian opponents who gather together under the "Freedom of Speech" banner.

In their opposition to the Bill, the Alliance will be campaigning alongside some unlikely bedfellows. Also opposed to the Bill are high profile comedians such as Rowan Atkinson, an unlikely prospect when it comes to sharing a platform with the evangelical alliance.

Even more unlikely, but equally opposed to the legislation is the author Salman Rushdie, who, as a Muslim, is precisely one of those people whom the Alliance would like to denounce as an idolator.

Whilst the fears of the evangelicals are understandable, they are also largely unfounded.

The Act will outlaw incitement of acts of hatred upon people due to their faith, a proposal which, rather than opposing, Christians should applaud.

Meanwhile, the concern that people are going to be locked up for telling jokes about religion or faith is more laughable than much of the material that comics produce.

The new measures would effectively extend some of this protection to other faiths.The law in England already protect the interests of Sikhs and Jews under race relations legislation and Christians under blasphemy laws.

Unsurprising, the Evangelical Alliance loses its fervour for freedom of speech when talk of abolishing the blasphemy laws is proposed. Much of the debate regarding the Bill has been directed at the Muslim faith. It is not mere coincidence that the British National Party now targets Muslims rather than non-white people in general.

Opposition to the new measures are understandable but wrongheaded. Rather than being concerned about protection, the Evangelical Alliance and others should welcome the protection afforded to those under attack.