Meeting of the Parliament 02 November 2016
I am sorry, I have too little time.
The 2012 act is also, in the main, supported by football clubs across Scotland.
The 2012 act is not confined to football. An offence is also committed if material is intended to stir up religiously motivated hatred. Sectarianism is not a matter for football in isolation, because the problem goes way beyond the football ground. The 2012 act is also designed to address online communications and hate crime.
Of course we will consider ways of improving the 2012 act’s application. We are happy to do so. However, to repeal the act and get rid of an additional and useful tool, which strengthens existing legislation for police and prosecutors, is not a priority for this Government. The Crown Office said that repeal would leave a gap in legislation, and we would be the only part of the United Kingdom that does not have such legislation. Repeal would be an entirely retrograde step. What message would it send to the next generation?
When my son was a football-mad six-year-old and wanted a football top, we bought him a Partick Thistle Football Club top so that he would not be identified with either side of the old firm. How do we explain sectarianism to a young child? We simply cannot do so, and we should not have to do so. Sectarianism has been the curse of the west of Scotland, and any steps that our Government takes to put a stop to it should be welcomed.
Douglas Ross’s motion, which asks for the repeal of the act, is regressive and negative. The motion is right to say that
“sectarian behaviour and hate crime are a blight on society in Scotland”,
but Douglas Ross’s party, like Labour, has not come up with a single solution to the problem. What is the Opposition’s alternative? Breach of the peace is simply not strong enough.