MSPs urged to back women-only Scots homeless refuge as deaths rise

Alba Backs Scottish Tenants Organisation Call for Single Sex Emergency Homelessness Accommodation

The Alba Party’s Housing Policy Working Group today submitted a motion to the party’s National Council backing the Scottish Tenants Organisation’s call for urgent action to defend single-sex emergency homelessness accommodation.

The motion, proposed by Working Group Convenor Nick Durie and supported by tenant activists, condemns recent attempts by the Scottish Greens to undermine funding for women’s services and aligns the party with the Scottish Tenants Organisation’s (STO) campaign to stop the scandal of vulnerable women being placed in mixed sex hostels and hotels puts women as the housing emergency deepens. A petition brought by campaigners will be heard in the Scottish Parliament today (Wednesday) who will debate the issue.

Nick Durie, Convenor of the Alba Housing Policy Working Group, stated:

“This motion places women’s safety and housing justice at the core of Alba’s social democratic vision. The Scottish Greens’ attempts to defund single-sex services in Edinburgh shows that ideology is being used to make funding cuts, cuts which are endangering women's lives.

"In the wake of the Supreme Court's verdict on single sex spaces, there can be no more stark example than the need for single sex emergency homelessness accommodation as a right, and we stand firmly behind campaigners today.”

Laura Jones, Lead Campaigner for the Scottish Tenants Organisation, continued:

“We commend political organisations that recognise the urgency of defending single-sex spaces. The STO urges all parties to prioritise women's lives, and get behind this campaign.

We will be outside the Scottish Parliament on 7 June for a lobby to promote the petition as more women and their children are becoming homeless in 2025, and they need protection by the State. This is urgently needed”

Kirsty Fraser, Alba Party Women’s Convenor concluded:

“This is an excellent initiative by the Scottish Tenants Organisation to take the concerns about women’s safety directly to the Scottish Parliament. The Alba Party supports them wholeheartedly in their campaign.”