A coalition of free speech campaigners has written to the Scottish Justice Secretary urging him to ditch proposed changes to hate crime law.

The letter to Humza Yousaf says that while there may be "good intentions" behind the Hate Crime Bill, enacting it may extend the reach of the law "far too much". 

The signatories - part of the Free to Disagree campaign group - include the National Secular Society's Stephen Evans, gay activist Peter Tatchell, and The Christian Institute's Simon Calvert. 

In the letter, they express "grave reservations" about the wording of the Bill, particularly where it relates to "stirring up hatred".

"Criticism has focused on the lack of a requirement to prove intent to stir up hatred, and on the 'abusive' limb of the offence, as well as the absence of suitably robust free speech clauses," they write.

"Then there is the difficulty of defining – to a criminal law standard – what 'hatred' actually is." 

The letter goes on to question why new 'stirring-up' offences are necessary. 

"The Government has never explained what will be made illegal by this Bill that is not already caught by existing offences," it says. 

It adds: "Rather than introducing wide-ranging and unpredictable stirring-up laws, with all the attendant risk and controversy, we suggest that you instead bolster the implementation of laws already on the statute book." 

The letter concludes with a call to the Justice Secretary to abandon 'stirring up' offences. 

"Without these controversial provisions, other aspects of the bill would achieve broad support," the campaigners said. 

The Catholic Church, the Scottish Police Federation and comedians Rowan Atkinson and Elaine C Smith have all criticised the Hate Crime Bill.