I want the executive and parliament not to copy Mr Blunkett, but to work out a Scottish solution to a Scottish problem

Donald Gorrie, MSP

If Mr Gorrie's proposals become law football clubs like Rangers and Celtic could face crowd restrictions if they fail to enforce action against bigotry among their fans.

On Monday both clubs said they "welcomed legal back-up" to their own efforts to counter religious hatred.

Mr Blunkett announced on 3 October that he would introduce measures to make incitement to religious hatred a crime in the wake of the attacks on the US.

Code of conduct

The following day First Minister Henry McLeish said Scotland would also adopt legislation to make religious hatred a crime.

But Mr McLeish has not yet indicated whether he will agree to Scotland being covered by the Westminster legislation.

Donald Gorrie: Criticised David Blunkett

Ministers could bring forward an executive bill or decide to back Mr Gorrie's proposals.

Mr Gorrie said his bill would not create a new offence but would make sectarianism and religious hatred an aggravation of existing criminal offences.

The MSP for Central Scotland said it would also require every organisation in Scotland to draw up a code of conduct to combat sectarianism and religious hatred.

He said: "If they go down the Blunkett road I will lead the opposition to it, not out of sour grapes but because it seems to me to be wrong.

'Serious debate'

"Similar laws outlawing incitement to hatred on racial or other grounds have produced virtually no prosecutions.

"Incitement laws can also be misused to prosecute people indulging in serious debate, and this attacks free speech.

Bigotry in Scotland has been closely associated with football

"I want the executive and parliament not to copy Mr Blunkett, but to work out a Scottish solution to a Scottish problem."

Mr McLeish's official spokesman confirmed that the executive was still considering the three options for legislating on the issue.

He added: "I am sure the executive will welcome the publication of Mr Gorrie's consultation document and study it carefully before deciding what to do."

The consultation runs until 28 January and Mr Gorrie hopes the bill will be drawn up and placed before a committee for stage one consideration by September 2002.