Motion · S5M-19251 · 3 Oct 2019
Tackling Intimidation in Public Life
Lodged by Rachael Hamilton (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party)
Members' Business Motion 31 supporters
The motion
That the Parliament welcomes the announcement from the Committee on Standards in Public Life and the Jo Cox Foundation that they will work together on a Joint Standard of Conduct that will set out the minimum standards of behaviour expected from all political party members in order to reduce intimidation and abuse in public life and raise public awareness about its impact, including in the Scottish Borders; understands that a survey by BBC 5 Live found that 90% of MPs elected in 2017 said they experienced some form of abuse, while the Intimidation in Public Life: A Review by the Committee on Standards in Public Life report found that people are being put off from standing for elected office as a result of intimidation; further understands that the Scottish Women’s Convention has noted that "A huge amount of the abuse directed at female parliamentary candidates in particular is highly sexualised and dangerous"; believes that this is yet another barrier for women to be elected to public office, and notes calls for the Parliament to establish a similar Code of Conduct that would assist MSPs and Scottish parliamentary candidates to reduce intimidation and help victims deal with problems effectively as it considers that reducing intimidation is one way that the Parliament and other elected bodies in the UK can empower more women to stand for election and help achieve equal gender representation.
Supporters (31)
- Jeremy Balfour 3 Oct 2019
- Bill Bowman 3 Oct 2019
- Miles Briggs Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 3 Oct 2019
- Alexander Burnett Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 3 Oct 2019
- Jackson Carlaw 3 Oct 2019
- Finlay Carson Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 3 Oct 2019
- Murdo Fraser Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 3 Oct 2019
- Jenny Gilruth Scottish National Party 3 Oct 2019
- Alison Harris 3 Oct 2019
- Liam Kerr Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party 3 Oct 2019
- Monica Lennon Scottish Labour 3 Oct 2019
- Dean Lockhart 3 Oct 2019
- Tom Mason 3 Oct 2019
- Joan McAlpine 3 Oct 2019
- Stuart McMillan Scottish National Party 3 Oct 2019
- Edward Mountain 3 Oct 2019
- Alexander Stewart 3 Oct 2019
- David Torrance Scottish National Party 3 Oct 2019
- Annie Wells 3 Oct 2019
- Brian Whittle 3 Oct 2019
- Peter Chapman 4 Oct 2019
- Kenneth Gibson No Party Affiliation 4 Oct 2019
- Liz Smith 4 Oct 2019
- Andy Wightman 4 Oct 2019
- Maurice Corry 7 Oct 2019
- Jamie Greene 7 Oct 2019
- Michelle Ballantyne 8 Oct 2019
- Fulton MacGregor Scottish National Party 8 Oct 2019
- Colin Smyth 20 Oct 2019
- Lewis Macdonald 8 Nov 2019
- Elaine Smith 11 Nov 2019
Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.