LABOUR have accused the Scottish Government of choosing the wrong priorities on sectarianism ahead of a Holyrood vote on a controversial anti-bigotry law.
The party yesterday released figures from the Parliament’s independent information centre showing the anti-sectarianism budget fell from £3m last year to £1m this year.
MSPs from Labour, the Greens, LibDems and Tories will line up against the SNP’s Offensive Behaviour at Football Act today at Holyrood and demand its repeal.
The Tories will use opposition time to debate the “unworkable” Act, which was introduced in 2012 after a series of disturbances at Scottish grounds.
Many football fans complain the Act unfairly singles them out for special police attention and restricts free speech.
The SNP is outnumbered in the chamber on the issue, but the vote is not binding.
However Labour MSP James Kelly has a member’s bill underway which could ultimately lead to the Act being repealed.
He said: “We should be investing in education to challenge attitudes around intolerance. Instead the SNP has slashed the budget to tackle bigotry and continues to defend the discredited Football Act. These are the actions of a government more concerned with generating headlines than tackling bigotry."
A senior SNP source said the Act retained “overwhelming” public support.
A government spokesman added: “This government is committed to eradicating sectarianism and over the last five years has invested £12.5 million into a range of projects, many with a focus on education – more than any government before us.”
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