Health minister Steve Barclay concedes the prison system is under pressure during media round
Lisa Cameron MP has quit the SNP and joined the Scottish Conservatives in a dramatic and unprecedented defection, PA Media reports. PA says:
The East Kilbride MP’s change of party comes on the day she was facing a selection battle to be the candidate in the west of Scotland seat of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow.
The Scottish Daily Mail reports she had complained of “toxic and bullying” treatment within the SNP.
Behaviours that are legitimate in some circumstances, for example the waving of a Palestinian flag, may not be legitimate such as when intended to glorify acts of terrorism.
Nor is it acceptable to drive through Jewish neighbourhoods, or single out Jewish members of the public, to aggressively chant or wave pro-Palestinian symbols at.
What we cannot do is interpret support for the Palestinian cause more broadly as automatically being support for Hamas or any other proscribed group, even when it follows so soon after an attack carried out by that group and when to many the link seems indisputable.
An expression of support for the Palestinian people more broadly, including flying the Palestinian flag, does not, alone, constitute a criminal offence.
Of course behaviour at protests goes beyond what is and isn’t seen as support for proscribed groups. I know that in the past we have seen people use these opportunities to make statements that are quite clearly antisemitic and a hate crime.
Abuse or intimidation that is religiously motivated will not be accepted and officers will act when they see it.
