THE Scottish Government seems to have lost the plot. There can be little argument with the principle of the hate crime legislation, which will probably bed in over time once the fanatics have got it out of their systems, and which received broad support when it passed through parliament.
The only way to regain momentum in the drive for independence at the moment is to find a way to win a majority of votes – not, repeat not, a majority of seats – in the General Election. Theachieved 50% of the popular vote in 2015 so it’s achievable, but making Scotland Tory-free isn’t the way to make it happen. Only specifically targeting 50%+ will get us there.
Furthermore, Article 25 of the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the UK ratified in 1976, states that direct political rights are a fundamental human right of all citizens. And yet the Scottish Government has failed to incorporate direct political rights into legislation.