UK NEWS
SNP WANTS BAN ON RAPIST TYSON
The boxer is due in Scotland this week
By Ben Borland
SHAMED boxer Mike Tyson is set to spark a bitter cross-border power struggle over the control of Scotland’s visa laws after being allowed into the country against the wishes of politicians.
Eight years ago Alex Salmond demanded the former world champion be banned from Scotland for life after his last explosive visit for a fight sparked angry street protests.
But this week Tyson is due back in Scotland for a money-spinning corporate evening in Glasgow.
The First Minister is understood to be deeply unhappy at the staging of the event, which was described as being in “bad taste” by Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell.
Officials at the Scottish Government say the decision to allow the controversial figure back into Scotland highlights the need for Holyrood to wrest control of visa powers from London.
However, Home Office sources insisted that Scotland could only win control over immigration by gaining independence.
Mr Maxwell said yesterday: “The SNP and women’s groups were highly critical of Mike Tyson being able to stage his fight in Glasgow in 2000, given his conviction for rape, and this latest event is in similarly bad taste. It reinforces the argument for the Scottish Parliament to have responsibility for these matters, rather than the Home Office in London.”
In June 2000 at Hampden Park, Tyson knocked out Lou Savarese in 38 seconds – then threatened to rip out British world champion Lennox Lewis’s heart and “eat his children”.
Former Home Secretary Jack Straw was criticised for granting the controversial boxer a visa, and Mr Salmond later called on the UK Government to reject any future applications.
More than 800 people will pay up to £250 for An Evening With Mike Tyson at the Glasgow Hilton hotel on Saturday, organised by promoter Barry Hughes.
The event has sparked fury from women’s groups and politicians of all parties, who say it “celebrates” and “glamorises” a man with a history of violence towards women.
Scottish Women’s Aid last night said it was “appalling” and “irresponsible” for someone with Tyson’s record to be given a platform to air his views.
Manager Lily Greenan said: “We strongly disagree with the move for this event to go ahead and for this convicted rapist to be allowed into Scotland.”
Lothians Independent MSP Margo MacDonald said the event was “tasteless” and sent “all sorts of wrong messages to all sorts of people”.
She added: “I don’t see why anybody would be attracted to go and listen to him other than psychiatrists and psychologists.”
Tyson, who began his six-city UK tour in Manchester on Friday, was jailed for six years in 1991 for raping beauty queen Desiree Washington and has a history of violence towards women. He was also the subject of another unproven rape complaint in 2002.
However, in a rare interview with the New York Times, he said he wants to put his violent past behind him.
In 2000, the Glasgow-based Rape Crisis Centre was taken to the brink of bankruptcy by a failed legal bid to stop Tyson getting a visa.
Braveheart Promotions, which is publicising the event, has been in discussions with the Centre, in a bid to avoid any protests outside the hotel.
But Isabelle Kerr, from the Centre, said last night that Saturday’s event would “glamorise” a convicted rapist.
She added: “We have plenty of sports heroes to celebrate – so why do we have to import someone like this?”
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