Will the SNP finally see sense on its flawed Hate Crime Bill? The Spectator

The saga of the SNP’s Hate Crime Bill is drawing to a conclusion. This week, Holyrood will cast a decisive vote on the embattled bill. Introduced just ten months ago, it seeks to consolidate existing hate crime laws and create new offences on the ‘stirring up of hatred’ against certain groups. These proposals would make ‘threateningContinue reading “Will the SNP finally see sense on its flawed Hate Crime Bill? The Spectator”

Scotland’s hate crime bill could land Joanna Cherry in the dock – Sp!ked

During a meeting of Holyrood’s Justice Committee last week, the justice minister, Humza Yousaf, faced an interesting line of questioning from Labour politician Rhoda Grant: ‘Does the Scottish government believe there are only two sexes or does it think that sex is a spectrum?’ A few years ago such a question might have elicited aContinue reading “Scotland’s hate crime bill could land Joanna Cherry in the dock – Sp!ked”

The SNP was wrong to back down to the transgender mob – The Spectator

The SNP’s hate crime bill has done plenty of damage to the party’s credibility. But it seems the party leadership is determined to make matters even worse. The Scottish government has announced that it will withdraw an amendment to the bill that would have permitted free speech on transgender issues. This move, a capitulation to activists, putsContinue reading “The SNP was wrong to back down to the transgender mob – The Spectator”

Turning parents into criminals – Sp!ked

Scotland’s smacking ban came into force on Saturday 7 November. From now on, even the mildest physical discipline by parents – a tap on the hand or a smack on the bum – will be a criminal offence. There was no public clamour for this change in the law. It is not a response to some glaringContinue reading “Turning parents into criminals – Sp!ked”

Free to disagree: SNP must drastically rethink its approach to hate crime – The Critic

The Scottish Government’s hate crime plans have encountered strong opposition from police officers, lawyers, academics, authors, actors and many others, concerned about a potential impact on civil liberties. Stirring up of hatred offences in part two of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill are massively controversial. These vague provisions cover “abusive” (rude and insulting) languageContinue reading “Free to disagree: SNP must drastically rethink its approach to hate crime – The Critic”

It’s time to end the Hate Crime Bill saga – Press & Journal

It’s hard to think of a policy proposal in recent years that has been met with more criticism than the Hate Crime Bill. In the last four months a huge number of organisations including the Scottish Police Federation, the Faculty of Advocates, the Law Society of Scotland, the National Secular Society, and the Roman Catholic Church have expressedContinue reading “It’s time to end the Hate Crime Bill saga – Press & Journal”

Scotland’s brand new blasphemy law – The Critic

There is mounting concern these days about the erosion of free speech, a fundamental right in democratic societies. In the UK and abroad, we’ve witnessed the advent of so-called ‘cancel culture’, a chilling spectacle where individuals who express opinions outside of a narrow political orthodoxy are savagely attacked online and rendered cultural outcasts. Habitually weContinue reading “Scotland’s brand new blasphemy law – The Critic”

Free to Disagree

In 2020, Jamie took forward the Free to Disagree campaign, bringing together a broad coalition of groups and individuals to oppose the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order Bill. Alongside other critics, the campaign succeeded in winning significant amendments to the hate crime bill including the removal of vague provisions on ‘inflammatory material’ and theaterContinue reading “Free to Disagree”

The Scottish state’s reckless war on parents – Sp!ked

The American comic Groucho Marx said that politics is the art of ‘looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies’. This cynical observation rings true when you consider recent diktats on parenting pushed by Scotland’s political elites. Holyrood’s legislation on the family has become increasingly authoritarian. In 2014, ScotsContinue reading “The Scottish state’s reckless war on parents – Sp!ked”

Scotland’s smacking ban turns parents into criminals – Sp!ked

The Scottish parliament voted last week to outlaw parental smacking by a margin of 84 to 29. The result was unsurprising given the growing clamour for a ban among Scotland’s chattering classes in recent years. Green MSP John Finnie’s private member’s bill abolished the defence of ‘reasonable chastisement’. It won the support of individual politicians and, eventually,Continue reading “Scotland’s smacking ban turns parents into criminals – Sp!ked”