The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Game over for law, says MSP
Football: Bill brought forward to scrap sectarian behaviour legislation
A legal bid to scrap 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 a bid to abolish the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications
“This can be the generation which ends sectarianism for good”
(Scotland) Act. He confirmed yesterday his bill will be published “within weeks” and will be lodged at the Scottish Parliament 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 claimed the legislation was “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 added: “The consultation on my bill was the most popular in Holyrood history, with more than 70% of people saying it’s time to scrap the act.
“When the matter came to a vote in the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood was clear.
“SNP ministers now need to seriously consider their position. Do they want to continue to support a bad law which has lost credibility or are they willing to show some humility and support Labour to stop criminalising football fans?”
He said: “This generation can be the generation which ends sectarianism for good – but only if resources are placed where they need to be – classrooms and communities, not football terraces and Twitter.”
The legislation came into force in 2012 after the SNP used its majority to pass the act, despite a lack of support from other parties.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman 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 and other offensive behaviour.
“The legislation allows prosecutors to tackle the most serious examples of threatening communications appropriately.
“Unlike elsewhere in the UK, prior to the introduction of the act, there was no specific offence in Scots law criminalising threats made with the intent of inciting religious hatred. This was an obvious gap and it was clear that legislation was required to address it.
“We would welcome discussion on how concerns can be addressed, but no alternative has so far been brought forward that would offer supporters protection from abusive and threatening behaviour.”