Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 15 December 2020
I say that I thank them very much for their counsel in the committee sessions. I am not sure that this is the point that the cabinet secretary was making, but he will have read the Murray Blackburn Mackenzie submission that came in last night, which anticipates that concern, saying:
“Careful scrutiny of legislation does not mean lack of compassion for the groups it sets out to help. Effective legislation requires critical engagement.”
I know that the cabinet secretary will agree that that is what we are engaged in. I am very grateful to the groups that he mentioned. Their evidence was extremely important and I think that they will also appreciate that that is what we are doing.
As I said, the bill, on whose unamended principles we will vote today, does not get the balance right. I find support for that in the LGB Alliance submission that we received last night, which includes the words:
“We have serious concerns about the Bill in its present form, and ask that it be withdrawn and rethought.”
The bill is the most controversial in the history of devolution, but the cabinet secretary’s response has not reflected the avalanche of opposition that his bill has faced. Genuine hate crime must always be punished, but the bill goes too far. Our fundamental right to freedom of speech remains under threat, and accordingly the Scottish Conservatives will vote against the principles of the bill at decision time tonight.
16:39