ALBA Party’s Ash Regan Urges Keir Starmer to Rule Out Support for Scottish Government Gender Self ID Bill

ALBA Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP has today written to Sir Keir Starmer urging him to clarify that an incoming UK Labour Government will not support the Scottish Government’s Gender Self ID Bill.

Addressing the Scottish Parliament, yesterday, Cabinet Secretary Shirley Anne Sommerville confirmed that the Scottish Government would not continue with its legal battle against the UK Government in an attempt to have the controversial Gender Self ID proposals brought into law.

As a result of the Secretary of State for Scotland’s decision to use Section 35 of the Scotland Act to block the Bill receiving Royal Assent the Gender Reforms have not become law. However, the Scottish Government stated yesterday that it was still fully supportive of the aims of its policy to allow anyone to self identify their sex and would now hope that a new incoming UK Labour Government would back the Gender Reforms to become law.

The controversial proposals have received wide spread criticism in Scotland and have been opposed by Women’s Rights campaigners.

ALBA Party’s Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP has now written to Sir Keir Starmer urging him to clarify his position should be become the next UK Prime Minister.

In a letter sent today the ALBA Party MSP highlights her opposition to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill and urges Starmer to rule out supporting its roll out which Ms Regan says would present a safeguarding risk to the privacy, dignity and safety of women and girls.

In her letter to Sir Keir Starmer ALBA Party Holyrood leader Ash Regan MSP says:

"I have asked the Scottish Government to end any plans to ever roll out their Gender Self ID reforms. However, it is the position of the Scottish Government that they remain committed to their flawed legislation and instead to hope that a Labour Government replaces the current UK Conservative Government, and then to lobby you for the cancellation of the current Secretary of State for Scotland’s use of Section 35 of the Scotland Act.

If there is a new UK Labour Government you will be the next UK Prime Minister. Therefore, your view on the future of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill matters.

I urge you to clarify, beyond doubt, your position on this important issue. If you are the next UK Prime Minister would your Government agree with the Scottish Government that it will unblock the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from receiving Royal Assent - and in doing so become law? I would strongly urge you to make it clear that Labour will reject any such bid by the Scottish government, and so to put a stop now to the Scottish Government’s failure to learn from its mistakes here, to the detriment of all involved.

The women of Scotland, and all that value the privacy, dignity and safety of women and girls await your response."