Lib Dems blast Government over misogyny law as £150,000 bill is revealed

The Scottish Lib Dems have accused the Government of “talking a good game” on misogyny as it emerged £150,000 was spent on a working group for a law that was eventually scrapped.

The Scottish Government initially refused to include misogyny in the controversial Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, instead saying a separate offence would be created.

But First Minister John Swinney announced, earlier this year, that plan would be scrapped and sex would be added to the current hate crime legislation through an amendment.

In preparation for the misogyny Bill being introduced to Holyrood, the Scottish Government commissioned Baroness Helena Kennedy KC – one of the UK’s most respected human rights lawyers – to chair a working group which would help to develop the proposals.

In an 80-page report published in 2022, Baroness Kennedy’s group recommended a standalone misogyny offence be created.

Responding to a parliamentary question from the Scottish Lib Dems, Justice Secretary Angela Constance said the working group had cost £143,668.

Of that total, £109,117 was paid to Baroness Kennedy as its chair, while the rest was the cost of running the group.

Lib Dem justice spokesman Liam McArthur said he had “no qualms” with Baroness Kennedy’s fee, adding: “What I have an issue with is the Scottish Government talking a good game about addressing misogyny in our society, paying for this work and then unceremoniously junking it.

“Helena Kennedy’s report laid bare the extent of misogyny across our society.

“It made abundantly clear that women are not a minority and that a distinct set of responses was necessary to tackle deeply rooted misogyny.

“The legislation that the working group proposed was a chance to substantially improve protections, help change culture and behaviours and move us closer to eradicating misogyny.

“It seems the Government is now deciding to roll the dice in favour of proposals that Baroness Kennedy was pretty explicit are not the right approach to this problem.

“Ministers have indicated that sex will be included as a protected characteristic in separate legislation.

“However, I am concerned that this will fall short of the dedicated approach needed to tackle the pernicious attitudes that demean and degrade women.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “With her significant knowledge of the issues involved, Baroness Kennedy brought a wealth of experience and expertise to her role as chair of the Working Group on Misogyny and the Criminal Law and the work she carried out had cross party support.

“Misogyny is a complex area of policy and law and criminal law needs to be clear and unambiguous.

“Given the short time left in this parliamentary session, there is insufficient time for a Bill to be finalised and introduced in this session.

“Scottish Ministers will introduce legislation to provide new legal protections for women and girls by adding the protected characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 alongside other protected characteristics.”

Scottish Tory deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said the spending was an example of ministers “squandering taxpayers’ money on a flagship policy they ultimately didn’t deliver on”.

“They will be questioning why over £100,000 of their money was paid to a respected legal expert, only for her work to be cast aside,” she added.

“The ditching of these plans was a humiliating U-turn for John Swinney and marked the latest in a long line of Sturgeon-era policies that have bit the dust.”