MSP will lodge bill to scrap football bigotry law

A LEGAL bid to scrap controversial laws aimed at curbing sectarian behaviour at football will be lodged at Holyrood before the end of the season, the MSP spearheading the move has pledged.

James Kelly is bringing forward a Member’s Bill at the Scottish Parliament in an attempt to abolish the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act.

He confirmed his bill will be published “within weeks” and will be lodged before the football season finishes.

The Labour MSP said Scottish ministers must “seriously consider” their ongoing support for the legislation, which Holyrood voted against last year.

Tories, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green MSPs united in November to back a motion calling for the repeal of the act by 64 votes to 63, inflicting a symbolic defeat on the Scottish Government.

At a fringe meeting at Scottish Labour’s conference in Perth, Mr Kelly said the legislation is now “deep into injury time”.

He said: “The public want it scrapped and Parliament voted in support of that. The only thing standing in the way of repealing this bad piece of law is the SNP.”

Mr Kelly continued: “The consultation on my Bill was the most popular in Holyrood history, with more than 70 per cent of people saying it’s time to scrap the act.”

A Government spokesman said: “There is very strong public support for the act, as shown by opinion polling, and while the vast majority of football supporters are well-behaved, simply scrapping the existing law risks sending entirely the wrong signal when it comes to eradicating sectarianism.”