ALBA Party’s Ash Regan MSP asks Government to apologise for dismissing concerns of Women’s Rights campaigners as “not valid”

The Scottish Government has today refused to apologise to Women’s Rights Campaigners for dismissing their Gender Recognition Reform concerns as “not valid”.

Alba Party’s Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP took the opportunity in Parliament today to demand an apology in the aftermath of the Scottish Government’s defeat at the Court of Session.

When the Scottish Government were pushing the Gender Recognition Reform Act through Parliament, many women raised concerns that the Act would present a risk to the safety, privacy and dignity of women and girls, and further that it was in conflict with the protections of the Equality Act. However, then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and members of her Government said the concerns were not valid.

Alba Party’s Ms Regan today asked Cabinet Secretary Shirley Ann Sommerville to apologise for dismissing the concerns however, the SNP Minister declined to apologise and instead focused on the technical use of Section 35 of the Scotland Act which was used to block the Gender Reforms receiving Royal Assent.

Speaking today in the Scottish Parliament, Alba Party’s Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP said:

"The Court judgement has vindicated the concerns of Women’s Rights campaigners that the Gender Reform Bill would negatively impact on the operation of the Equality Act, therefore on the protections for women and girls.

"Now that the Government has been forced to face the folly of their position will they take this timely opportunity to apologise to women’s rights campaigners for dismissing their concerns as not valid?”