Opposition fails in bid to derail anti-sectarian Bill

[ian1964 10,370]

4 Nov 2011

 

OPPOSITION attempts to derail the Scottish Governmentâ??s bid to stamp out football-related sectarianism have failed.

 

All four of Holyroodâ??s opposition parties and Independent MSP Margo MacDonald claimed the SNP Government was using its majority to force through a â??rushed, flawed piece of legislationâ? which risked doing more harm than good.

 

However, Community Safety Minister Roseanna Cunningham said the Scottish people wanted a solution to a problem most are â??sick to the back teeth ofâ?.

 

The SNP majority at Holyrood ensured the flagship Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications Bill would continue its parliamentary progress.

 

Opponents said all political parties wanted to root out sectarianism but claimed the SNP Government had failed to make the case for the introduction of new offences which could lead to five-year jail terms and bans from football grounds.

 

They said concerns had been raised about the Bill by the Law Society of Scotland, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the Scottish Justices Association, anti-sectarianism organisations, football supporters groups, religious organisations and childrenâ??s charities and â??their powerful voices deserve to be listened toâ?.

 

A joint statement added: â??We have come together to send the strongest possible message to the SNP Government to stop, take a breath and talk to other parties, to the clubs, and to the many others concerned about these proposals rather than using their majority to force through this flawed legislation.

 

â??Our fear is that the Governmentâ??s response is driven by a desire to be seen to be doing something, not by any evidence this plan would actually work.â?

 

The opposition MSPs said a more effective response would include greater use of existing laws, working with football authorities and promoting positive interventions in communities and the education system.

 

The debate â?? based on the Holyrood Justice Committee report on the Bill â?? was introduced by its convener Christine Grahame. She said that while there had been division on its merits, members were united on the need for action and there was a greater sense of urgency on the part of the football authorities and clubs.

 

She said: â??I donâ??t think anyone in this chamber wants the game to be conducted in what one witness described as a Mary Poppins atmosphere, so sanitised as to be sterile of emotion or passion.

 

â??While the forces of law enforcement have a key role to play in ridding our game of bigotry, so to do the clubs and the footballing authorities.â?

 

Labour spokesman James Kelly claimed events over the summer, including convictions for sectarian singing and inappropriate comments on social networking site Facebook, demonstrated the proper use of existing laws.

 

He said: â??It begs the question why was this legislation needed when the current legislation was being used so effectively?â?

 

Tory spokesman David McLetchie said: â??We should be wary of legislation which, in the broadest sense, impinges on our legal liberty to speak freely and voice opinions, even when they may be robustly or sometimes even coarsely expressed.â?

 

Labourâ??s Graeme Pearson, a former match commander with Strathclyde Police, wanted progress on the Bill held for a year to give football authorities responsibility for â??bringing good conduct to the clubsâ?. He said: â??Ensure sporting authorities deal with sectarian behaviour by withdrawing season tickets, using closed turnstiles for matches or, like Turkey, having only women and children as spectators. Use fines and, worst of all, deduct points.â?

 

Ms Cunningham claimed there had been â??virtually nothing constructiveâ? said by the opposition in the debate. She claimed existing law was not adequate and with further stages of the Bill still to come there was scope for Parliament to shape legislation to create â??a Scotland we all wantâ?.

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/opposition-fails-in-bid-to-derail-anti-sectarian-bill-1.1133019

[Juancornetto 1]

"They said concerns had been raised about the Bill by the Law Society of Scotland, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the Scottish Justices Association, anti-sectarianism organisations, football supporters groups, religious organisations and children’s charities and “their powerful voices deserve to be listened to”."

 

If all of these people express concerns about the Bill and it is pushed through regardless then it's a miscarriage of justice and anybody prosecuted under it should go to The European Court Of Human Rights with their case. The desperation to push this through smacks of fanatacism.

[Guest Dutchy]

And that's after them saying they wouldn't use their majority to push things through.

 

Politicians, they're all a law unto themseloves, but we're the mugs that have to live within their stupid laws.

 

This bill is just wrong and it'll cost the SNP.

[Zappa 0]

Scottish Nazi Party at it's finest. Something needs to be done to try and stop this and it's getting more and more urgent by the day. This has the potential to completely and utterly destroy football in Scotland.

[ian1964 10,370]

Scottish Nazi Party at it's finest. Something needs to be done to try and stop this and it's getting more and more urgent by the day. This has the potential to completely and utterly destroy football in Scotland.

 

Aye,it's a sad day for football in this country

[biggordy 0]

Scottish Nazi Party at it's finest. Something needs to be done to try and stop this and it's getting more and more urgent by the day. This has the potential to completely and utterly destroy football in Scotland.

 

If this Bill goes through mainly due to the SNP majority and not because of reasonable doubt raised by reasonable groups, I think Salmond can kiss his independent Scotland bye bye.

Even their own supporters will desert them if contentious issues are pushed through merely by force of numbers and not by democratic debate.

[ian1964 10,370]

So,if ever you really feel the need to call someone a fenian bastard,you'd be better off just stabbing them as you'll get less time in jail?:tongue:

[GovanAllan 0]

Scottish Nazi Party at it's finest. Something needs to be done to try and stop this and it's getting more and more urgent by the day. This has the potential to completely and utterly destroy football in Scotland.

 

Was watching this on the news last night anybody out with Scotland watching this must think we are all from mars.

 

A stupid piece of law introduced by stupid people that will have absolutely no effect on the so called problem it's meant to tackle. You cant legislate against offensive behaviour its impossible to do. Wait till the first case gets to court even the worst of lawyers will be able to pick holes in this law.

[GovanAllan 0]

So,if ever you really feel the need to call someone a fenian bastard,you'd be better off just stabbing them as you'll get less time in jail?:tongue:

 

That's actually a fair point Ian if you stab someone you get put away, when you get out you see the guy and call him a fenian so and so and you get put away for longer. It's laughable only in this fucked up country can you sent down for a longer time, for calling someone a name than stabbing them.

Edited November 4, 2011 by GovanAllan

[Zappa 0]

It's the criminals in Holyrood who are trying to tell the rest of Scottish society what we can and can't say who should get locked up! Their idea of freedom is what someone feels when they get let out of prison. I bet some private company is set to profit from building more bloody prisons or something.