An SNP MP has slammed the UK Government as "fascistic" for pushing ahead with the controversial Police Bill which cracks down on rights to protest.
Anne McLaughlin claimed the legislation - which would only apply in England and Wales - could impact on Scots who travel to London for demonstrations in the future.
The MP for Glasgow North East hit out at Boris Johnson's Tory government and accused it of pursuing a "culture war" through legislation.
The 176-clause Police Bill has been described as a mishmash of unrelated changes, from banning sex between sports coaches and 16-year-olds to imposing life sentences on some killer drivers.
But it’s 10 or so clauses about protests that led to "Kill the Bill" demonstrations across several English cities in recent months.
The Bill contains a string of measures to toughen up the police response after Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matters protests were accused of disrupting public life.
They include making it illegal to inflict “serious annoyance” on a person without reasonable excuse, with up to 10 years’ jail in theory if judges choose. Measures also include imposing up to 10 years’ jail on people who vandalise statues - up from three months.
Writing in a piece for Left Foot Forward, McLaughlin said: "This Tory government is bringing their culture war into the legislature and that is something that should worry every single person in the UK.
"It is kneejerk, populist and fascistic law-making to protect the lies of benevolent imperialism, and it is a dangerous attack on all of our civil liberties.
"Civil liberties such as the right to protest. This bill directly contradicts the rights of citizens to protest where, when and how they choose. If it goes through, there will be very few rights to protest in England and Wales at all.
"It’s unacceptable in a democracy, especially one that likes to claim to be the bastion of democracy and has a history of telling the rest of the world how to behave."
The MP added: "And let’s not forget the rights of the people of Scotland to protest in England. While decisions about our lives are made in London we, the people of Scotland, reserve the right to peacefully protest at the seat of power."
Labour's shadow justice secretary David Lammy has previously described the legislation as "a mess".
He said the UK Government is trying to rush through Parliament "poorly thought-out measures to impose disproportionate controls on free expression and the right to protest".
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