Anti-sectarian laws to be repealed

Controversial laws aimed at bringing an end to sectarian chants in Scottish football will be repealed by MSPS at Holyrood today.

The Offensive Behaviour at Football Act was introduced in the aftermath of the infamous Old Firm “shame game” in 2011. But it has prompted anger from football fans who say they have been singled out by the Act. Opposition parties at Holyrood will today unite to vote down the legislation, despite the minority SNP government still supporting it.

Community safety minister Annabelle Ewing warned: “Repeal will compromise the ability of police and prosecutors to charge people for unacceptable behaviour.”

But Labour MSP James Kelly, who pushed through the repeal bill at Holyrood, has called on ministers to prop- erly invest in anti-sectarian measures instead of an “ineffective law” to tackle the problem

He added: “The Football Act has simply been a PR exercise for a government without a meaningful record in tackling bigotry.

“Since the SNP government used its previous parliamentary majority to force the legislation through, it has been completely discredited.”