"Why Won't King Alex and the SNP Listen to the People?"

[Joe O'Rourke]

[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]Why won’t the SNP listen to the Labour Party and the rest of the MSP’s and postpone the new legislation until they can get it right?[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]Scottish Labour will oppose The Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill when it comes back to the Scottish Parliament for its final reading unless the SNP Government withdraws it first.[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]When the controversial Bill passed its second stage at the Parliament’s Justice Committee yesterday (Tuesday) the Scottish Labour members abstained on votes for a number of amendments that were agreed. [COLOR=#000000:b074862e]Speaking after the committee James Kelly MSP, Scottish Labour’s Shadow Justice Minister and Deputy Convener of the committee said:[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]“The reason we abstained on votes at Stage Two was to give the SNP Ministers time to reflect on the legislation and call a halt to the Bill. As it currently stands we do not believe it is fit for purpose and Parliament should not be asked to pass bad law.[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]“Roseanna Cunningham, the Minister, has not interacted with the process and has failed to answers questions from me about any meetings and consultations that have taken place.[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]“We want the SNP to withdraw this Bill and take more time to discuss the problems of sectarian behaviour with all interested parties including the churches, football organisations and other groups.[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]“After her performance at committee it looks as if Roseanna Cunningham is not prepared to do that. [COLOR=#000000:b074862e]“If that is the case then Scottish Labour will oppose this Bill when it comes to Parliament for its third and final reading.”[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]Is it because of King Alex’s vanity that he won’t change course? Is he not for turning like a previous head of Government? We all know the damage that was done because of her intransigence and contempt for the Scottish people.[/COLOR:b074862e]
[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]FAC and its members have been contacting MSP’s all over the country asking them to vote against the new bill; some of the SNP lot; like my own in Inverclyde don’t even have the courtesy to reply; are they afraid of the King; it certainly seems like it.[COLOR=#000000:b074862e]Some members of the Steering Committee of FAC are hoping to meet with 3 or 4 SNP MSP’s on Friday night; it will be interesting to hear what they have to say; that’s if they actually turn up.

[Guest]

just your opinion, i think they have it spot on, been a celtic supporter for the last 35 years and i am sick of the bile being poured out from the stands, stop the bigots and let the families come back, i would never take my 3 year old boy to celtic park, and remember they are the future fans.

[irish eyes]

I really cannot believe that the snp are still trying to put this legislation through. Apart from anything else it is to vague, it has to be specific. It's like saying you can get done for driving too fast but hey we're not going to set ANY SPEED LIMIT, we'll just make it up as we go along and it someone thinks you were driving too fast then you'll get done.

Totally unacceptable and makes the cuntry into a laughing stock with a law that is so flimsy and flawed. The laws already in place are enough to cover this. Sectarianism should be stamped out YES, but it isn't totally down to football as statistics have shown, the problem is much deeper rooted. It stems from the home and your upbringing.