Many moons ago, I started up a blog called Crap Holyrood Chat, a half serious and half fun look at the motions that were lodged at the Scottish Parliament with a view to pulling out the ones that were a blatant waste of time either due to sycophancy, idiocy or just general crapness.

The venture ultimately failed because I only rarely found myself scrolling through the hundreds of important motions that make it onto the Scottish Parliament website each week but, now, with a team of four, the other three of which being much closer both geographically and, em, mentally(?) to Holyrood than I am, we think it might be time to start something similar up again.

So, without further ado, I am pleased to announce Better Nation’s weekly feature – worst motion of the week!

By all means feel free to forward suggestions (editors@betternation.org) but we have a doozy to kick things off. Take a bow, John Mason:

The Equal Marriage Debate
That the Parliament notes the current discussion about same-sex marriages and the Scottish Government’s forthcoming public consultation concerning equal marriage; further notes that, while some in society approve of same-sex sexual relationships, others do not agree with them; desires that Scotland should be a pluralistic society where all minorities can live together in peace and mutual tolerance; believes that free speech is a fundamental right and that even when there is disagreement with another person’s views, that person has the right to express these views, and considers that no person or organisation should be forced to be involved in or to approve of same-sex marriages.

Supported by: Bill Walker, Dennis Robertson, Gil Paterson, Richard Lyle, Mike MacKenzie

Now, I don’t know what is more surprising in the above, that John Mason believes that people may be forced to approve of anything or that five MSPs (all SNP) felt the need to support this.

There is a valid question to be asked here – should, for example, a Catholic priest be forced by law into marrying two people of the same sex? My answer to that would be no but, nonetheless, there is no absolution from me for the sheer cack-handed and completely unnecessary motion pasted in full above.

Congratulations John Mason, the first of many I am sure to win the award of Better Nation’s Worst Motion of the Week.