Scotland hate crime bill

[BovaryX]

There is an another article in the Spectator which discusses Scotland's hate crime legislation and its chilling impact upon freedom of speech. It says that the Justice secretary is in thrall to coercive progressivism and the potential implications of this bill are extremely alarming.

www.spectator.co.uk/article/scotland-s-hate-crime-bill-would-have-a-chilling-effect-on-free-speech

'Patrick, would your feelings about the Bill change if misogyny was also protected? You’d have to be much more careful about how you express yourself to, and about, women campaigning for their rights. Would the prospect to criminal conviction have a chilling effect on your speech?'

Good comment.

So far, though, really not encouraged by the FM response today - in the face of robust criticism from a long list of stakeholders, they're just going to ignore and continue as planned?

The FM is paying lip service to being horrified by nasty misogyny. Not enough, however, to censure those in her party who have attacked women, including her own MPs and MSPs.

Meanwhile, a mere 3 Committee members have ensured that if sex ever gets listed, the gov will be able to redefine it without consultation or parliamentary approval.
twitter.com/ForwomenScot/status/1299052065667383297?s=20

Given the state of this govts 'consultations' and their approach to parliament, will it make any difference? It's becoming clearer to me that this party governs by just blustering through and ignoring any voices that don't chime with their own. Bullying, arrogance and manipulation dressed up as progressiveness.

The bloody brass neck of this man!!!

twitter.com/HumzaYousaf/status/1299691570011217921?s=20

MurrayBlackburnMackenzie have put up a post that explains the entire parliamentary process and the potential timeline of the Hate Crime Bill as it moves through the different stages.
Very useful if, like me, you aren't familiar with all the inner workings of how legislation is generally brought forward, and how various amendments and rejections can take place.

murrayblackburnmackenzie.org/2020/08/30/the-scottish-parliaments-bill-process-and-the-hate-crime-and-public-order-scotland-bill/

www.heraldscotland.com/news/18696402.snp-hate-crime-bill-deluged-almost-2-000-responses/

MSPs have received almost 2,000 submissions on the SNP Government’s Hate Crime Bill in an ”unprecedented” response to a piece of legislation.

Holyrood’s Justice Committee said it would start considering the controversial Bill next month after its 12-week consultation was deluged with evidence from organisations and the public.

The MSPs hope to report on the Bill’s general principles by Christmas, although the work could go into the New Year because of the volume of material to consider.

The Government wants to complete the remaining stages and pass the Bill into law before the 2021 election.

Glasgow Tory MSP Adam Tomkins, the convener of the Justice Committee, said: “The number of submissions we have received is unprecedented and reflects that this Bill is contentious. Hundreds of individuals and organisations have written to us setting out their views on the offences that this Bill would both create and abolish.

“Given the importance of this legislation – and the strength of feeling it is generating – it is vital that sufficient time is allowed for scrutiny. Our Committee has already agreed that it will revisit the deadline of 18 December should it become necessary.”

Holyrood’s Justice Committee sets out timetable for Hate Crime Bill scrutiny

www.parliament.scot/115964.aspx

Timetable

The Committee has agreed it will handle the high volume of submissions it has received as follows. All submissions will be available on this webpage.

Written submissions from organisations will be published first on 4 September.

Thereafter, written submissions from individuals will be published in batches once processed by the clerks in accordance with the Parliament’s policy on the treatment of written evidence – the policy includes the treatment of requests for anonymity and submissions containing potentially abusive or defamatory content.

The Committee will then consider who will be invited to give oral evidence. Oral evidence sessions will begin in late October, following the Committee’s completion of the Defamation and Malicious Publications (Scotland) Bill.

The Hate Crime and Public Order Bill follows a review of hate crime legislation by Lord Bracadale. It is expected that Lord Bracadale will be invited to give oral evidence as one of the initial witnesses.

Research Briefings - HATE CRIME AND PUBLIC ORDER (SCOTLAND) BILL
Author: Frazer McCallum

digitalpublications.parliament.scot/ResearchBriefings/Report/2020/9/3/Hate-Crime-and-Public-Order--Scotland--Bill