The Scottish government has pledged to bring forward guidance to ensure parents are not unfairly targeted ALAMYScotland has become the first part of the UK to ban the smacking of children, despite public opposition and fears that it will “criminalise parents”. Children will be legally protected under the new Scots law which removes the defence of justifiable assault. The bill was introduced by John Finnie, a Green MSP and former police officer, who said that children needed “vital legal protections” from assault. MSPs voted by 84 to 29 in favour of the law, despite a YouGov poll of 1,546 adults across the UK suggesting that 57 per cent opposed the move. Mr Finnie said: “Physical punishment has no place in 21st century Scotland.

Source: The Times October 03, 2019 23:07 UTC