Sturgeon: Some gender reform critics are driven by prejudice
READ MORE
Ms Sturgeon has undertaken a number of media interviews and public events in recent days following the publication of her memoir, Frankly.
In the book she writes that she should have considered pausing her bid to change the law.
MSPs passed the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill in December 2023, aiming to speed up and simplify the process for a trans person to obtain a gender recognition certificate and change their legal sex.
Under the current system, the process takes at least two years, involves a medical diagnosis and is only available to those aged 18 and over.
Holyrood's Bill would have cut the waiting time to six months, lowered the age threshold to 16, and scrapped the need for a medical diagnosis — often described as self-identification.
Before it could become law, the then Conservative Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack, blocked it using the first-ever order under Section 35 of the 1998 Scotland Act.
First Minister John Swinney has since ruled out revisiting the legislation, saying it is beyond the powers of the Scottish Parliament and his government 'quite simply cannot proceed with it'.
During a discussion with broadcaster Kirsty Wark, Ms Sturgeon was asked about the language she used to describe some critics of her gender reforms, including calling them transphobic.
The Glasgow Southside MSP conceded that this had closed people out of the conversation, but said she had always caveated her remarks by making clear it was not true of all opponents.
'I am not saying everybody falls into this activity, but I am sorry, I do not care what side of this debate you are on, I defy anybody to say that there are not supporters of Trump, of Putin, of Erdoğan, and people here, supporters of people like Farage, who fall into these categories and have chosen to take on this issue.
'It is the soft underbelly of other prejudice. And I am sorry, I find it really hard to believe that even people who passionately disagree with me cannot see that.'
Ms Wark told Ms Sturgeon that as first minister her job should have been to bring people together, asking if she had been 'inclusive enough in these conversations'.
'Probably not, no,' Ms Sturgeon replied. 'I do not think I was.'
She added: 'The debate is toxic on both sides of this debate. It is not all one way, and sometimes it is presented as if it is.
'I have had, just in the last couple of days — and I do not spend a lot of time looking at the bowels of social media — occasion to see people on the other side of this debate. Not faceless bots, but real people.
'People who call themselves feminists, standing up for women's rights, saying things about me such as, when I described my miscarriage experience the other day, 'I have not laughed as much in years,' and accusing me of making it up. People saying they hope I am raped in a toilet.
'So these are the kind of things that go in both directions at the end.'
READ MORE
While she insisted not all opponents of gender reform are transphobic or homophobic, Ms Sturgeon said she had been worried that pausing the legislation would have meant 'giving in to that', but added: 'I might have been wrong, and I probably was wrong about that.'
Speaking later to journalists, Ms Sturgeon said the abuse she had received made her concerned for the state of democracy. She said she had not contacted police over the comments.
'Of course, allegations of criminality should be reported to the police, but I think in terms of online abuse, sometimes we just have to kind of all take a step back and stop doing it, rather than think that the recourse is always to go to the police.
'I do not look at it very often. I try not to, but it makes me deeply concerned, not for myself so much as for the state of democracy.
'I speak to young women, young men as well, who are interested in politics, who would love to think about going into politics, but actually think that they could not do it because of the abuse.
'And if we carry on down that road, then democracy is in an even worse state than sometimes it appears it is right now.
'As a frontline politician for three decades, I am not without responsibility for the state of public discourse.
"I have got to take my share of collective responsibility, but I think we have also all got to just stop shouting abuse at each other, and take a step back and try to find a way of disagreeing, but doing it a bit more agreeably than we seem to be capable of right now.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The migrant hotel flashpoint in the heart of London's banking district: How Canary Wharf has become a asylum seeker 'dumping ground' with 'terrified' locals scared to leave homes
Once hailed as a 'miniature Manhattan', Canary Wharf's new status as a migrant hotel flashpoint has been seized upon as evidence of its decline. The decision to house hundreds of illegal migrants in the heart of East London's banking district has prompted a furious reaction from locals, with some complaining of feeling too scared to leave their homes. Protests are taking place outside the four-star Britannia Hotel almost daily, with the recent arrest of one of its residents for walking into a woman's home doing nothing to ease tensions. It comes at a difficult time for the finance hub, which has seen a series of major firms announce plans to leave amid a post-pandemic drive towards working from home. Susan Hall, the Conservative Assembly member and former London mayoral candidate, claimed the use of Canary Wharf as a 'dumping ground' for illegal migrants was evidence of its decline under London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan. 'I had a phone call with someone who lives nearby who said she won't go out without her husband because she doesn't feel safe,' she told the Daily Mail. 'This is a prestigious financial district, but clearly Sadiq Khan doesn't care where these people are put, the safety of women and children, or the chaos on our streets. 'It took 12 days to build a Nightingale Hospital - so why on earth can't they build a detention centre?' Anti-migrant protesters who gathered outside the hotel earlier this month shout at counter-protesters across the road The Britannia, which opened in 1992 at the height of Canary Wharf's emergence from an area of derelict dockland, usually charges more than £400 a night for rooms Eleano Borisenko, 31, said: 'I don't feel safe. I've been here five years. We had no consultation. Nobody asked us any questions' The Britannia, which opened in 1992 at the height of Canary Wharf's emergence from an area of derelict dockland, boasts of 'superb views over the London skyline' and usually charges more than £400 a night for rooms. The hotel is also within walking distance of skyscraper One Canada Square, which was the UK's tallest building for more than 20 years until The Shard was unveiled in 2012. It has since become the focus of protests after Tower Hamlets Council confirmed it had been handed over to the Home Office to house asylum seekers. Another group of up to 50 migrants arrived at the hotel yesterday morning before being hurried inside by guards. Residents living near the hotel have spoken of their concerns about having hundreds of bored young men now living on their doorstep. Tracey Calder, a 35-year-old receptionist, said she now tries to walk in a group for safety. 'We are forming a group of locals so we don't go out on our own. We are terrified,' she told the Daily Mail. A man reacts after being arrested during a demonstration outside the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf on August 3 Officers made two arrests on Friday during clashes between anti-migrant protesters and 'anti-fascists' Friends Roy Knott, 62, and Jo Avent, 55, live nearby and want the hotel to stop housing migrants Eleano Borisenko, 31, said: 'I don't feel safe. I've been here five years. We had no consultation. Nobody asked us any questions. 'They never said what would be happening and there was no discussion or debate. It was a huge shock.' Friends Roy Knott, 62, and Jo Avent, 55, live nearby and want the hotel to stop housing migrants. Mr Knott said: 'They get everything handed to them on a plate. It's serious. I don't feel safe and I know a lot of families who feel the same. 'The cost to the taxpayer must be huge as well. Can Can we afford this. There are police and security there all the time. 'People are so angry locally. I know people who simply don't want to live here anymore.' Canary Wharf has struggled in recent years after the shift towards working from home saw a dip in demand for office space. Many big employers have downsized their concrete footprint as a consequence. A man in his 20s who was living at the Britannia Hotel was recently arrested for assault after allegedly walking into a woman's home HSBC said in 2023 that it planned to vacate its 45-floor Canary Wharf skyscraper - 8 Canada Square - in 2027, when the current lease expires. Law giant Clifford Chance is also leaving. It occupies 10 Upper Bank Street, a 32-storey one million square foot skyscraper. In 2028, it will move back to the City to occupy a new, much smaller office block. Major rival Allen & Overy has already left. US law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom moved to the City in 2024. And credit agency Moody's is also planning to leave. Despite the slate of high-profile departures, those in charge of the district would point to recent data that shows the valuation of some of its offices are rising for the first time in three years. The value of a £2billion portfolio that includes around half of Canary Wharf Group's office holdings increased by 0.6 per cent between March and June, according to data released by landlord CWG. Even so, many are adamant that the chaos surrounding the Britannia Hotel will do nothing to aid this recovery. Jules Durand, a French financial worker who joined the protests, told the Telegraph. 'I think it's crazy. I may move. Everyone in my building doesn't like it but they won't act and come down here because they don't want to be on camera. 'I don't oppose the hotel, but I just don't want them here. I'm against immigration all the way. My area of France has been completely overwhelmed.' A gleaming aerial view of Canary Wharf, Docklands, in the early 2000s, when optimism about the area was flying high Barriers have been set up outside the hotel to keep protesters away from the entrance A security guard stands outside the hotel late last month On Friday, a crowd of anti-migrant protesters descended on the hotel to be met by counter demonstrators. Officers were seen pinning some activists on the ground, with two arrests made. One was an anti-migrant protester who was detained after a bottle was thrown at officers. The other was a member of the counter-protest group who was arrested for failing to remove their face covering. The main road outside the hotel was blocked by hundreds of demonstrators shouting 'save our kids'. Police had to rapidly mobilise to contain a group of 'anti-fascist' activists arriving at South Quay station to confront anti-migrant protesters as they held signs that said 'no human is illegal' and chanted: 'Refugees have the right - here to stay, here to fight.' More than a hundred police officers moved to kettle the group outside the tube station for breaching the peace. People then made their way into the town as the main road outside the hotel was closed. Dozens were carrying flags, leading chants of 'Keir Starmer is a w*****' and 'send them home'. It comes as police continue to quiz a man accused of bursting into a blind woman's flat has been arrested on suspicion of common assault. A protester who was asked to remove his face mask shouts at a police officer whilst taking part in the Stand Up to Racism rally outside the Britannia on Friday Your browser does not support iframes. The suspect, aged in his 20s, was living at the Britannia, and was being held by police in Hackney, east London, in the early hours of this morning. He is said to have entered the house on Wednesday night after being followed by a group of men on the street and told to 'go back to the hotel' where anti-migrant protesters were gathered outside. The Met has now said he is no longer living there. A spokesperson for the police this morning said: 'Our investigation continued on Thursday, with officers carrying out extensive CCTV enquiries and speaking to witnesses. 'As a result of this, in the early hours of this morning - Friday, 15 August - we arrested a man in the Hackney area on suspicion of common assault. He is believed to be in his early 20s. 'We can confirm that this is the man who allegedly entered the flat. He is now in police custody.' A 22-year-old woman who was arrested on Wednesday evening and lives at the flat which was entered has since been charged with a number of offences.
Spectator
33 minutes ago
- Spectator
Tories accuse Sturgeon of breaking ministerial code over indyref2
The SNP's former Dear Leader Nicola Sturgeon released her memoir this week – but it has not quite had the reception she anticipated. The trailed excerpts prompted Alex Salmond's allies to accuse Sturgeon of besmirching her former mentor's name, brought her failed gender reform bill to the fore and confused pro-independence supporters after the Queen of the Nats hinted she was considering a move to, er, London. Now another admission in the 450-page tome has led the Scottish Tories to write to the Scottish Permanent Secretary to examine whether Sturgeon broke the ministerial code. Craig Hoy posted his letter to Joe Griffin on Twitter today, fuming that Sturgeon's memoir had revealed the former first minister had 'wasted taxpayers' money on a doomed court case for party political reasons'. In his letter, Hoy stresses: In the book, the former first minister stated that the Scottish government's reference to the Supreme Court on whether it had the power to hold an independence referendum unilaterally was 'in all likelihood impossible' to succeed. The Scottish ministerial code states that ministers and officials should 'ensure that their decisions are informed by appropriate analysis of the legal considerations and that the legal implications of any course of action are considered at the earliest opportunity'. If the then-first minister has now publicly admitted that she thought it was 'impossible' for this court reference to succeed, yet proceeded with it anyway, this constitutes a clear failure to follow the legal implications of her chosen course of action at the earliest opportunity. Nicola Sturgeon suggested that the reason she proceeded with the reference was because she was 'in a bind' with her party members and supporters. The Supreme Court reference ended up costing taxpayers a quarter of a million pounds. This political use of public money is in clear violation of paragraph 1.4(i) of the ministerial code which states: 'Ministers must not use public resources for party political purposes;'. He went on: Nicola Sturgeon is no longer first minister, so action can no longer be taken against her under the ministerial code, but could you as Permanent Secretary confirm whether you believe this spending complied with the requirements laid out in the code, given Ms Sturgeon's recent comments? If not, will the Scottish government be taking any action to recover the public funds that were spent at the direction of Nicola Sturgeon for what were clearly party political purposes? Good heavens! Has Sturgeon landed herself in hot water over this rather revealing confession? Stay tuned…
Daily Mirror
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
DWP date confirmed for bank 'monitoring' in list of tough new measures
The UK Government has unveiled the biggest fraud crackdown in a generation - and new factsheets published by the DWP contain details of how the proposals will be implemented The UK Government is embarking on 'the biggest fraud crackdown in a generation' to slash losses within the welfare system. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) estimates that the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill will generate savings of £1.5 billion for taxpayers over the coming five years. New measures include driving bans of up to two years for benefit fraudsters who persistently refuse to repay outstanding debts, powers enabling the DWP to seize funds directly from offenders' bank accounts, and Eligibility Verification, allowing third-party bodies like banks to flag potentially fraudulent benefit applications. A series of 11 newly published factsheets from the DWP, providing greater insight into how these measures will function securely with proper oversight, confirms the UK Government intends to introduce the proposed changes from April 2026, reports the Daily Record. The factsheets also include information on safeguards, reporting mechanisms and supervision crafted to ensure the "appropriate, proportionate, and effective use of the powers." Official guidance states: "The Government will begin implementing the Bill measures from 2026. "For the Eligibility Verification Measure, the Government will implement a 'test and learn' approach to ensure the new powers to tackle public sector fraud are being used proportionally and effectively. DWP and the Cabinet Office will continue to work with industry to implement the new measures, consult stakeholders on Codes of Practice and publish guidance." The DWP will also gain powers to collect data from additional third-party organisations such as airlines to check whether individuals are receiving benefits from overseas, potentially violating eligibility requirements. Eligibility Verification Measure The DWP will not have direct access to the bank accounts of millions of people on means-tested benefits including Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Employment and Support Allowance. The department will work alongside banks to pinpoint individuals who may have surpassed the eligibility thresholds for means-tested benefits, such as the £16,000 income limit for Universal Credit - and secure that information to subsequently examine that claimant to avoid potential overpayments and possible fraud cases. The legislation only allows banks and other financial institutions to share restricted data and forbids the sharing of transaction data, which means the DWP will not be able to monitor how people on benefits spend their money. Indeed, the factsheet outlines how banks and other financial institutions could face a penalty for sharing excessive information, such as transaction data. It additionally states: "Any information shared through the Eligibility Verification Measure will not be shared on the presumption or suspicion that anyone is guilty of any offence." New measures to combat fraud have been introduced by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The new Bill aims to fulfil the UK Government's manifesto pledge to protect taxpayers' money, ensuring every pound is used wisely and effectively. New DWP measures to combat fraud The new Bill is designed to fulfil the UK Government's manifesto pledge to protect taxpayers' money. All the powers will include strong safeguards to ensure they are only used appropriately and proportionately - including new inspection and reporting mechanisms. DWP will have a clearly defined scope and clear limitations for the use of all the powers it is introducing, and staff will be trained to the highest possible standards. New powers of search and seizure - so DWP can control investigations into criminal gangs defrauding the taxpayer. Allowing DWP to recover debts from individuals no longer on benefits and not in PAYE employment who can pay money back but have avoided doing so. New requirements for banks and building societies to flag where there is an indication there may be a breach of eligibility rules for benefits - preventing debts accruing. This Bill aims to empower the Public Sector Fraud Authority to: Use new powers of entry, search and seizure to reduce the burdens on the police in the most serious criminal investigations. Reduce fraud against the public sector by using its expertise to take action on behalf of other departments, against those who attack the public sector. Improve fraud management in future emergencies by creating specialist time limited powers to be used in crisis management situations - building on lessons learned during COVID-19. Better detect and prevent incorrect payments across the public sector through new information gathering and sharing powers. Improve the government's ability to recover public money, through new debt recovery and enforcement powers. Use strong non-criminal sanctions and civil penalties to provide an alternative to criminal prosecution and to deter fraud. The Public Sector Fraud Authority will adopt a 'test and learn' strategy with these powers, trialling various methods and expertise to determine the most effective way to combat public sector fraud.
