Skip to content
Law Society of Scotland
Search
Find a Solicitor
Contact us
About us
Sign in
Search
Find a Solicitor
Contact us
About us
Sign in
  • For members

    • For members

    • CPD & Training

    • Membership and fees

    • Rules and guidance

    • Regulation and compliance

    • Journal

    • Business support

    • Career growth

    • Member benefits

    • Professional support

    • Lawscot Wellbeing

    • Lawscot Sustainability

  • News and events

    • News and events

    • Law Society news

    • Blogs & opinions

    • CPD & Training

    • Events

  • Qualifying and education

    • Qualifying and education

    • Qualifying as a Scottish solicitor

    • Career support and advice

    • Our work with schools

    • Lawscot Foundation

    • Funding your education

    • Social mobility

  • Research and policy

    • Research and policy

    • Research

    • Influencing the law and policy

    • Equality and diversity

    • Our international work

    • Legal Services Review

    • Meet the Policy team

  • For the public

    • For the public

    • What solicitors can do for you

    • Making a complaint

    • Client protection

    • Find a Solicitor

    • Frequently asked questions

    • Your Scottish solicitor

  • About us

    • About us

    • Contact us

    • Who we are

    • Our strategy, reports and plans

    • Help and advice

    • Our standards

    • Work with us

    • Our logo and branding

    • Equality and diversity

  1. Home
  2. News and events
  3. Legal news
  4. Hate Crime Bill passes stage 1

Hate Crime Bill passes stage 1

16th December 2020 | criminal law , human rights | Criminal legal aid , Human rights

The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill has passed its first stage in the Scottish Parliament by 91 votes to 29.

Conservative MSPs voted against the controversial bill, but other opposition parties supported it following commitments by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf to remove or amend its most contentious provisions (click here for news item).

During the debate Mr Yousaf described hate crime as a "constant threat" to society and said victims must be protected. He was open minded about further amendments, and the Government had shown "great willingness" to compromise and address concerns.

He commented: "It does not have to be a binary choice between freedom of expression and ensuring we have strong hate crime laws that afford protection to people who are often the target of hate – it is not one or the other."

Conservative justice spokesperson Liam Kerr said "mere tinkering" with the bill was not enough. The bill was a "dangerous and shoddy law" that "does not get the balance right and as drafted could criminalise that which other people find offensive or disrespectful".

Labour's Rhoda Grant said her party had "real concerns about the way the bill has been drafted", and called on Mr Yousaf to go further to meet the concerns expressed.

The Greens' John Finnie said there was "still a way to go on some aspects", and for the Liberal Democrats, Liam McArthur observed that Mr Yousaf had "recognised the hole he had dug and sought a ladder rather than a shovel".

Click here for the official report of the debate.

Add To Favorites

Additional

  • News and events

In this section

  • Law Society news
  • CPD & Training
  • Blogs & opinions
  • Events
  • 75th Anniversary

Categories

  • civil litigation
  • criminal law
  • employment
  • obituary
  • careers
  • practice management
  • law society of scotland
  • government-administration
  • welfare/benefits
  • family-child law
  • reparation
  • professional regulation
  • property (non-commercial)
  • insolvency
  • consumer
  • human rights
  • mental health-adult incapacity
  • planning/environment
  • europe
  • information technology
  • immigration
  • education-training
  • executries
  • corporate
  • commercial property
  • agriculture-crofting
  • dispute resolution
  • risk management
  • intellectual property
  • client relations
  • tax
  • licensing
  • banking-financial services
  • trusts-asset management
  • reviews
  • opinion
  • For the public
  • Research and policy
  • Regulation
  • Journal online news
  • interview

News Archive

  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013

Related articles

  • Consultation explores support for learning disabilities
  • Ministers will not appeal s 35 ruling, nor withdraw bill
  • Jury trials to return to the islands in spring
  • SCTS revises criminal case backlog predictions
Law Society of Scotland
Atria One, 144 Morrison Street
Edinburgh
EH3 8EX
If you’re looking for a solicitor, visit FindaSolicitor.scot
T: +44(0) 131 226 7411
E: lawscot@lawscot.org.uk
About us
  • Contact us
  • Who we are
  • Strategy reports plans
  • Help and advice
  • Our standards
  • Work with us
Useful links
  • Find a Solicitor
  • Sign in
  • CPD & Training
  • Rules and guidance
  • Website terms and conditions
Law Society of Scotland | © 2025
Made by Gecko Agency Limited