Meeting of the Parliament 05 November 2014
We can all agree that we have a problem and that we need to talk about it. The key in this debate, inside or outside the chamber, is that sectarianism needs to be talked about, but it has to stop being aired through a megaphone.
It would be great if there were a scapegoat or we could find somebody who is responsible for the present level of sectarianism in Scotland, because that would mean that we could get rid of the problem in an instant. Let us be clear: it is not going to work like that. It never does.
We can all agree that this is about more than legislation; we need a cultural change that could be led from the Parliament. It is important to realise that we all in Parliament have a responsibility when it comes to the tone that we use when we talk about sectarianism.
Elaine Murray’s motion makes two important points, which I would like to address. First, it talks about a failure of our committees to address the report that was published by the advisory group on tackling sectarianism in Scotland. The Labour Party’s motion then asks us to repeal the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012.
Let me deal with the second part of the motion first. I cannot be the Labour Party’s scapegoat today; I was not yet an MSP when the bill came to Parliament. However, as a member of the Justice Committee, I was aware that section 11 of act states that the Scottish Ministers are required to report to Parliament. The minister has repeated what we already knew: the Justice Committee’s members are aware that the report will cover two full football seasons and the evaluation report will be laid before Parliament within 12 months of the end of the previous football season. In March, the committee members heard the minister rule out an early review of the act. Christine Grahame, the committee’s convener is right: we were all there when that happened. Nothing has changed since.
I also happen to be a member of the Equal Opportunities Committee. On the first part of the motion about a failure of our committee system to address the report that was published by the advisory group on tackling sectarianism in Scotland—