Next UK government must lift undemocratic gender reform veto
The Scottish Greens have called for the next UK government to lift the undemocratic and discriminatory Westminster veto against the Gender Recognition Reform for which the Scottish Parliament overwhelmingly voted.
The party’s equalities spokesperson, Maggie Chapman, who is due to speak at Edinburgh Pride today, has called for an end to Tory culture wars and the demonisation of trans people.
Ms Chapman called for all pro-devolution parties and candidates to stand up for trans rights and commit to lifting the veto.
Ms Chapman said: “Gender Recognition Reform was one of the most scrutinised bills in the history of the Scottish Parliament. It was supported by MSPs from all parties, including the vast majority of SNP, Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs.
“The Act should be in effect right now, with trans people benefiting from the basic rights that we voted for. Instead we have seen even more disgraceful culture wars and hostility towards the community, all cynically stoked and fuelled by some of the most powerful people in the country.
“Lots of countries already use self-identification. The decision to block the reform was a calculated and cruel political stunt by a bigoted Tory government that has never seen a minority group that it didn’t want to punch down on.
“With the curtain finally coming down on 14 years of Tory rule, a new government must end the hostility and lift the veto.”
Ms Chapman added “Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be recognised for who they are. Gender Recognition Reform has always been a small and simple step towards doing that.
“The Tory veto was a disgraceful attack on those basic rights, but also on devolution. One man should not be able to, single handedly, block a legitimate law passed by our democratic parliament. It set a terrible precedent and sent the message that our parliament could be ignored or overruled on a whim.
“There is a moral responsibility on every single candidate and party that supports human rights, equality and devolution to commit to lifting the block and supporting the rights of trans people and our parliament.”
From the Scottish Greens manifesto
Scottish Greens will call on the next UK Government to improve equalities and human rights law, and work for the same improvements with powers over equality in an independent Scotland.
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Cancelling the undemocratic block on Scotland’s gender recognition reforms. A majority of the Scottish Parliament, including MSPs from all parties, supported making it easier and less intrusive for transgender people to get legal recognition of their gender identity, but this has been blocked by the UK Government. Greens will be calling on the new Secretary of State for Scotland to immediately allow the legislation to proceed.
