Scots registrars with particular religious convictions may be allowed to refuse to conduct civil partnerships if an Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) Member of the Scottish parliament (MSP) gets his way. Glasgow minister John Mason is introducing a motion into Parliament that will allow for people’s bigotry if it is a part of their religious convictions. While claiming to be a supporter of The Equality Act, Mason says he is worried that Religion and Belief will be left “at the bottom of the pile”.
The Bill has already created rifts within the party, with the MSP Bill Walker comparing the LGBT protest lobby to Nazis in terms of their tactics and First Minister Alex Salmond allegedly going “absolutely crazy” when Labour MSP Thomas Docherty challenged him over the motion.
Stagecoach director Brian Souter, who bank-rolled the Scottish attempt to retain Section 28, is a supporter of the SNP.