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Concerns as SNP say they have 'no plans' to continue to hold anti-sectarian summit

Fears are growing that the Scottish government is cooling its anti-sectarian policies inherited from Labour and have been warned the issue could "slip back into the darkness".

Jack McConnell has called on the government to "rectify its mistake" of not holding a summit or launching a fresh strategy on sectarianism this year.

The former first minister, who was integral in introducing the national action plan at Scotland's first summit on sectarianism in 2005, accused the SNP government of taking "popularism too far".

A Scottish government spokesman said it remains "committed to tackling all forms of discrimination and fully recognises the need to tackle religious discrimination".

"Intra-Christian sectarianism remains a problem in Scotland and we must not shy away from the challenges that it presents us. However, there are other religious communities in Scotland which face bigotry and abuse and we must work to meet the needs of all of our religious communities."

Full story at the Sunday Herald.