After years-long campaign, the OBFA finally falls by 62 votes to 60 in parliamentary vote

MSPS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY VOTED to repeal the Offensive Behaviour in Football Act (OBFA), narrowly defeating in the Scottish Government by 62 votes to 60.

As Holyrood prepares to repeal OBFA, anti-sectarianism charity Nil By Mouth says Scottish football cannot be allowed to self-regulate anymore

THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT should consider implementing Uefa’s ‘Strict Liability’ principles on Scottish football, whether by new legislation or by withholding millions of pounds of public funding, a leading anti-sectarianism campaign has argued.

The national budget must not become “an annual rear-guard action against local cuts”, says Patrick Harvie

THE 2018-19 BUDGET for Scotland is expected to pass its final stage today (21 February) thanks to support from the Scottish Greens, who have argued to further reforms after winning concessions on local authority funding.

MSPS voted 65-61 in favour of repealing the controversial anti-bigotry law

THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT suffered a defeat on one of its flagship policies on Thursday afternoon when MSPs voted in favour of the repeal of the Offensive Behaviour and Threatening Communications at Football (Scotland) Act.

The vote was triggered by Labour MSP James Kelly’s Member’s Bill to repeal the act, which following its initial success, will now move on to examination at committee level before a final vote.

We take a look at who might take Kezia Dugdale’s place as Scottish Labour leader

FOLLOWING Kezia Dugdale’s surprise resignation as leader of Scottish Labour, there is no shortage of possible candidates to replace her.

Dugdale herself became leader in 2015 after defeating Ken Macintosh with 72 per cent of the vote, following a relatively uncrowded leadership election.

Candidates for Scottish Labour leadership can be either MSPs, MPs, or MEPs. In order to be nominated, candidates require at least 15 per cent support from Labour MSPs, MPs and MEPs.

A motion at the STUC Youth Conference on Saturday discussed the repeal the ‘Offensive Behaviour at Football’

THE STUC Youth Conference has passed a motion in favour of repealing the controversial ‘Offensive Behaviour at Football’ Act.
 
Unite the Union moved the motion at the conference on Saturday, stating that it believes the legislation “is a rushed, ill-conceived and illogical piece of the statute, which only serves as an unwarranted attack on the freedom of movement and expression of football fans”. 

Both Richard Leonard and Ruth Davidson silent over criticism of their parties’ recent actions

SCOTTISH LABOUR LEADER Richard Leonard and Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson found themselves unable to escape their respective parties’ recent records during First Minister’s Questions, facing heavy criticism from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon over their engagement with the Scottish budget and Brexit.

MSPs reviewing evidence on the OBFA recommend its repeal ahead of parliamentary vote

THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE of the Scottish Parliament has published its Stage One report on the Repeal of the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communication (Scotland) 2012 Act (OBFA), recommending the repeal.

The five SNP MSPs on the committee opposed the repeal, albeit agreeing that “constructive amendments” to the Act should be brought forward, while the six MSPs from the opposition parties voted to scrap it altogether.

Labour MSP James Kelly will give evidence to Justice Committee on his proposed repeal Bill

THE SNP HAS been scathing in its response to attempts to overturn its politically unpopular Offensive Behaviour in Football and Threatening Communications Act (OBFA) ahead of Tuesday’s Justice Committee meeting where Labour MSP James Kelly will be the final person to give evidence.