PRESS RELEASE Campaigners have criticised a last-ditch attempt to fix free speech provisions in the Hate Crime Bill, days before a final vote on the […]
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Time to pause hate crime plans
Jamie Gillies, Free to Disagree spokesman One year after the government published its contentious Hate Crime Bill, the clamour over these plans shows little sign […]

English law chiefs say dinner table chats should not come under hate crime laws as Scot Gov takes opposite approach
The case for a ‘dwelling defence’ in Scottish Government hate crime proposals has been bolstered after English law chiefs abandoned a plan to scrap a […]

Time to pause hate crime plans
Dear MSP, We the undersigned have serious concerns about Part 2 of the Scottish Government’s Hate Crime and Public Order Bill, and increasingly so in […]

Take action to defend free speech
Stage 2 scrutiny of the Hate Crime Bill will begin on Tuesday 2nd February. Make sure you have your say before proceedings begin. On Tuesday, […]

‘Hate Crime Bill could stop women speaking out on trans issues’
Women who speak out on trans issues could find themselves accused of ‘stirring up hatred’ under contentious hate crime proposals, MSPs have heard. During a […]

Legal experts, police officers detail Hate Crime Bill flaws
Serving police officers and legal experts have highlighted their concerns with the Scottish Government’s embattled Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill. Earlier today, senior […]

GOVERNMENT’S WILLINGNESS TO BOLSTER HATE CRIME BILL FREE SPEECH PROTECTIONS WELCOMED
Cabinet Secretary for Justice Humza Yousaf MSP Free speech campaigners have welcomed a commitment by Cabinet Secretary for Justice Humza Yousaf to consider further changes […]

MONTY PYTHON AND BASIL FAWLTY STAR JOHN CLEESE BLASTS ‘DISASTROUS’ ATTACK ON FREE SPEECH IN SCOTTISH HATE CRIME BILL DEBATE
John Cleese, the creative genius behind Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, warned of a “disastrous” attack on free speech last night during a debate on […]

SNP must back further changes to Hate Crime Bill – Jim Sillars
Jim Sillars Last week saw a climbdown by the Scottish Government on one of the most controversial aspects of its hate crime plans. After a […]

‘MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE’ TO STOP HATE CRIME BILL FREE SPEECH FEARS, WARNS CHORUS OF CRITICS
On Wednesday Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf told the Scottish Parliament the Government will amend the controversial ‘stirring up’ offences in the Hate Crime Bill, following […]

Ditch ‘stirring up’ offences to end Hate Crime Bill clamour
Jamie Gillies, Free to Disagree spokesman Later today Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf will make a statement on the Hate Crime Bill after an earlier announcement […]