MurrayBlackburnMackenzie

Established in late 2018, MurrayBlackburnMackenzie is an independent policy analysis collective, made up of Dr Kath Murray, Lucy Hunter Blackburn and Lisa Mackenzie. Between us, we have extensive experience in policy-making, research and communications. We are Edinburgh based, and work in both a voluntary and commissioned capacity.

You can make a donation to support our work here. 

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“If policy is to be based on evidence, then the evidence has to be as independent of ideological points of view as is possible. MBM Scottish policy analysis
has an admirable record of trying to achieve that.”
Lindsay Paterson, Professor of Education Policy
University of Edinburgh

Latest posts

Response to emergency consultation on protection of freedom of expression in the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill

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Our response to the Justice Committee’s emergency consultation on freedom of expression in Bill is provided below. A PDF version of the briefing can be downloaded here. The Issue Our concern is whether the law will provide a clear point…

Read More Response to emergency consultation on protection of freedom of expression in the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill

Freedom of expression protection in the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill: the doors are still closed

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The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill extends the existing offence of “stirring up hatred” in relation to race, to a wider range of characteristics. As described here, the Justice Committee agreed with the Cabinet Secretary for Justice on…

Read More Freedom of expression protection in the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill: the doors are still closed

Debate or no debate

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Tomorrow the Justice Committee was due to debate a range of amendments seeking to strengthen the protection for freedom of expression in the Hate Crime and Public Order Bill (background here). This afternoon the Cabinet Secretary for Justice announced on Twitter…

Read More Debate or no debate

Hate Crime and Public Order Bill: Stage 2 Briefing. The need for tailored freedom of expression protection for transgender identity

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Hate Crime and Public Order Bill: Stage 2 Briefing. The need for tailored freedom of expression protection for transgender identity. The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill proposes to introduce stirring up hatred offences for all the protected characteristics…

Read More Hate Crime and Public Order Bill: Stage 2 Briefing. The need for tailored freedom of expression protection for transgender identity

The inclusion of ‘cross-dressers’ under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill

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During the Stage 1 oral evidence sessions on the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill, the definition of ‘transgender identity’ was discussed. This briefing traces how ‘cross-dressers’ came to be included within the definition of transgender identity in the…

Read More The inclusion of ‘cross-dressers’ under the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill