Free Republic

Praying at home could be a criminal offence “depending on who passes by the window”, according to the Scottish Greens MSP behind legislation restricting protests near abortion clinics. Gillian Mackay suggested that “performative” prayer within a 200-metre radius of an abortion facility might contravene the law even if it occurred inside someone’s home. The law, which was overwhelmingly approved by Holyrood last year, was designed to curb demonstrations by anti-abortion groups outside clinics. Mackay’s comments come after remarks by JD Vance, the US vice-president, who criticised the policy this month. Vance claimed in a speech at the Munich Security Conference...

Sir Keir Starmer will use his Scottish Labour speech to condemn the “dangerous right-wing politics” of Reform UK. The Prime Minister is set to insist that Nigel Farage’s party is not the right answer for Scotland or Britain. An opinion poll earlier this week put Reform UK ahead of Labour, with other polls north of the border, meanwhile, suggesting the party could win its first ever seats at Holyrood in next May’s Scottish elections. At a Holyrood level, polls have suggested Scottish Labour could suffer its worst Scottish Parliament election result in the history of devolution. It is a far...