The Scottish Government has developed a calamitous skill in producing daft legislation. That the Hate Crime Act would bring out every grievance crank, of which there are many, who would report anybody who had looked at them the wrong way to poor old Police Scotland, which had made the dreadful mistake of promising to investigate every report, was entirely predictable. Not just predictable but predicted, by many people, many times.

The hate crime legislation is unnecessary because the things that are real hate crimes are already covered by appropriate laws. The Hate Crime Act is just more “progressive” posturing. Look busy, be useless – that is the SNP way.

The Hate Crime Act should not be dismissed as merely SNP nonsense which will eventually slide into obscurity; its harms are real. Police time really is wasted on investigating hurt feelings rather than things like burglaries. You and I pay for all this. The effect on free speech is also real. The Act is so vague that you don’t know what might be illegal so, better safe than sorry, you stop saying what you mean or think. Free speech does not exist without the right to say something which offends.

The hate crime legislation is not the first of such Scottish Government muck-ups. Offensive behaviour at football matches and transgender rights are both examples of legislation brought forward under the........

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