Latest news with #HumanRightsandCivilJusticeCommittee
The National
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Tories demand John Swinney sacks SNP MSPs who backed Maggie Chapman
Green MSP Chapman faced a Conservative motion on Tuesday seeking to remove her from the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, of which she is the deputy convener, after she told a trans rights protest that the Supreme Court's decision that sex in the Equality Act 2010 is biological reflected 'bigotry, prejudice, and hatred'. The comments sparked a backlash from Scotland's legal profession, with both the Law Society and the Faculty of Advocates speaking out against Chapman. But Chapman survived the vote as three SNP MSPs – Marie McNair, Evelyn Tweed, and convener Karen Adam – and Chapman herself all voted down Tess White's motion. Now White has written to the First Minister saying he must 'show some backbone' and remove the SNP members of the committee. READ MORE: Alba leader slams 'pointless' calls to ban Kneecap from Scottish festival Swinney said Chapman's comments were wrong adding 'at no stage should we question the independence of the justiciary and the judicial system'. White said: 'John Swinney must finally show some backbone and remove the SNP members of the equalities committee who openly defied him by shamefully backing Maggie Chapman (below). 'If he fails to remove and replace them, he will be sending out the message that he has no respect for women or the rule of law. (Image: PA) 'Maggie Chapman's comments were an outrageous attack on the highest court in the land and demonstrated her utter contempt for women and girls. 'By defending the indefensible, the three SNP members have brought parliament into disrepute.' White argued the positions of the SNP MSPs are now 'untenable'. READ MORE: Labour MP pans party's broken pledges as Grangemouth refining ends After the victory in the vote, which means she will remain in post on the committee, Chapman said she was 'grateful' to have held on. "I have never questioned the court's right to make the ruling that it did. But that does not mean that I must agree with it. I don't, and I am very concerned about the impact it will have and is already having,' she said. 'I will always stand up and advocate for trans and non-binary people. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is also my job to stand up for my constituents.' White hit out at the SNP MSPs on the committee who had voted her motion down, saying that had 'put political allegiance before Parliament'. The SNP have been approached for comment.
The National
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Maggie Chapman speaks out as Tory bid to oust her from committee fails
On Tuesday, the Green member faced a Conservative motion seeking to remove her from the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, of which she is the deputy convener, over remarks about the Supreme Court. After the top UK court ruled that sex was biological under the 2010 Equality Act, Chapman told a trans rights protest that the decision reflected 'bigotry, prejudice, and hatred'. The comments sparked a backlash from Scotland's legal profession, with both the Law Society and the Faculty of Advocates speaking out against Chapman. READ MORE: John Swinney reaffirms support for trans people amid 'uncertainty and anxiety' On Tuesday, citing the faculty's intervention, the Tories sought to pass a motion which would have put Chapman's membership on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee to a full Scottish Parliament vote. Conservative MSP Tess White moved the motion, which was backed by her fellow Tory MSP Pam Gosal as well as Labour's Paul O'Kane. However, the committee's three SNP MSPs – Marie McNair, Evelyn Tweed, and convener Karen Adam – and Chapman herself all voted it down. After the victory in the vote, which means she will remain in post on the committee, Chapman said she was 'grateful' to have held on. 'I am also very grateful to the many trans and non-binary people and allies who have been in touch with me over the last two weeks to tell me their stories,' she went on. Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman has long campaigned for trans rights (Image: PA) 'It's been devastating to hear about the exclusion and prejudice they or their loved ones have faced, and how worried they are for the future. 'The focus should not be on me, it should be on the outcomes of the ruling and the serious threat that is being posed to the rights of trans and non-binary people. "I have never questioned the court's right to make the ruling that it did. But that does not mean that I must agree with it. I don't, and I am very concerned about the impact it will have and is already having. 'Over recent years a toxic culture war has seen trans people and their loved ones being targeted and demonised by too many politicians and large parts of the media. 'I will always stand up and advocate for trans and non-binary people. Not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is also my job to stand up for my constituents. READ MORE: 'Careless' guidance on Supreme Court sex ruling slammed by former EHRC solicitor 'Some of my constituents are trans or non-binary. Others have trans or non-binary children, parents, siblings, friends. They deserve representation as who they are. I will not stop being a vocal trans ally.' White hit out at the SNP MSPs on the committee who had voted her motion down, saying that had 'put political allegiance before parliament'. The Tory MSP added: 'Maggie Chapman voted to save her own skin. A disgraceful outcome which sets an alarming precedent for our parliament and the rule of law.' Her colleague Gosal added: 'It is absolutely shocking that SNP MSPs voted to keep Maggie Chapman on the Equalities Committee. The Bute House Agreement may have ended a year ago, however the SNP and Greens still go hand-in-hand…'
STV News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- STV News
MSP who accused Supreme Court of 'bigotry and hatred' survives vote
A Green MSP who accused the UK Supreme Court of 'bigotry, prejudice, and hatred' at a rally in Aberdeen has survived a committee vote to remove her. Maggie Chapman, the deputy convenor of Holyrood's Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, hit out at the Supreme Court over its ruling on the definition of a woman earlier this month. The North East Scotland MSP previously said she would not apologise, stand down or reconsider her role in the face of the controversy. Conservative MSP and committee member Tess White laid a motion to have Chapman thrown off the committee. But Chapman survived the vote by four votes to three – backed by the SNP members. 'Maggie Chapman's comments were utterly outrageous and totally inexcusable for any MSP to make,' White previously said. The motion comes just days after Scotland's top lawyer called for a 'fulsome and swift apology' from Chapman and questioned whether she could continue as deputy convenor. 'These are appalling comments to come from any elected politician,' Roddy Dunlop KC, the dean of the Faculty of Advocates, said. 'They are all the worse when they come from someone who holds the post of deputy convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. 'It really should not require to be said, but the Supreme Court – indeed, all judges – are in post to apply the law. They do not take sides. They decide without fear or favour, consistently with the judicial oath. 'For Ms Chapman to claim that they were swayed by 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred' is outrageous. We are talking about the apex court of these islands, in this instance made up of a bench which included two of Scotland's finest legal minds, as well as two women. 'No sensible person could read their dispassionate analysis and conclude that they were swayed by such matters.' Watch Colin Mackay quizzes Maggie Chapman on Supreme Court ruling comments First Minister John Swinney said that Chapman's comments were 'wrong' in that she questioned the independence of the judiciary. On Friday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was asked about Chapman's position as deputy convener of the committee. He said: 'Ultimately, this is a matter for the committee and for structures of the Parliament. 'But I think there is a broader point here which is people have strong views, and I am perfectly relaxed with people having strong views, people can have big disagreements, that's part of our democracy, part of debates. 'But when we get into the place of attacking the judiciary, attacking law officers, attacking judges, undermining the rule of law and calling people bigoted or racist or sexist based on judgments made on the evidence of the law, I think that takes us down a very, very dangerous route.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Maggie Chapman survives vote on key Holyrood committee role
Chapman's fellow members on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee voted to oppose a Conservative-tabled motion to remove her on Tuesday morning. It comes after the Green MSP told a protest, organised by trans rights activists in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that sex is biological under the 2010 Equality Act, that the court's decision had been motivated by 'bigotry, prejudice, and hatred'. READ MORE: Former health minister Susan Deacon joins Scotland Office The comments sparked a backlash from Scotland's legal profession, with both the Law Society and the Faculty of Advocates speaking out against Chapman, who is deputy convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. The motion to remove Chapman – who attended Tuesday morning's meeting remotely – was lodged by Conservative MSP Tess White, who said her Green counterpart's comments had been "dangerous and incendiary" and that there "must be boundaries". The Tory MSP pointed to Chapman's refusal to apologise for the remarks about the Supreme Court, saying she was "devoid of remorse". Speaking in her own defence, Chapman said that rights for women and trans people were "going backwards" and pointed to analysis from the Good Law Project and others raising questions about whether the court's ruling met obligations under international human rights law. Maggie Chapman spoke to the Holyrood committee remotely due to attending the STUC conference in Dundee (Image: Holyrood TV) The Green MSP argued that the ruling had happened amid a "culture war" in which trans people are demonised by politicians and parts of the media. Though the Supreme Court has the right to issue a ruling, Chapman said, she did not have an obligation to agree with it, pointing to previous court rulings that went on to be condemned, such as the pardoned miners. There are five members on the committee other than Chapman and White: SNP MSPs Karen Adam (who is the convener), Marie McNair, and Evelyn Tweed, Scottish Labour's Paul O'Kane, and Tory MSP Pam Gosal. O'Kane told the committee that he wanted to give Chapman the opportunity to withdraw her remarks about the Supreme Court and unequivocally uphold the independence of the judiciary. If she would not take it, the Labour MSP said, he would vote to remove her from her role. READ MORE: Senior Whitehall officials pushing for the Open to return to Donald Trump's Turnberry McNair said she believed that Chapman had not been speaking at the protest in her role as deputy convener of the committee, did not think her comments were an issue for the committee, and so would not support the Tory motion to remove her. Chapman spoke again and said she respected the rule of law and the judiciary, but stopped short of apologising for her comments on the Supreme Court. White then asked Chapman to show remorse for a final time, to which the Green MSP replied that she had said all she wished to. The MSPs on the committee then voted by four to three to reject the motion. The SNP and Green MSPs voted as a bloc, as did the Tory and Labour MSPs. A Scottish Parliament spokesperson previously explained the process: 'An MSP can be removed from sitting on a committee by agreement to a parliamentary motion. 'The motion would need to be lodged by the committee and a majority of members of the committee would need to agree on the need for this motion.'
STV News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- STV News
MSP who accused Supreme Court of 'bigotry and hatred' facing committee removal
A Green MSP who accused the UK Supreme Court of 'bigotry, prejudice, and hatred' at a rally in Aberdeen is now facing forcible committee removal for her comments. Maggie Chapman could be axed from Holyrood's Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee after slamming the Supreme Court over its ruling on the definition of a woman last week. The North East Scotland MSP previously said she will not apologise, stand down or reconsider her role as deputy convenor of the equalities committee in the face of the controversy. However, a motion from Tory MSP Tess White could force her out if it's approved by other ministers. White has lodged a motion to remove Chapman from the committee ahead of its next meeting on Tuesday. 'Maggie Chapman's comments were utterly outrageous and totally inexcusable for any MSP to make,' White said. 'Her position as deputy convener of Holyrood's equalities committee is untenable. I urge my fellow MSPs on the committee to do the right thing on Tuesday and back my call to recommend that she be removed from her position.' The motion comes just days after Scotland's top lawyer called for a 'fulsome and swift apology' from Chapman and questioned whether she could continue as deputy convenor. 'These are appalling comments to come from any elected politician,' Roddy Dunlop KC, the dean of the Faculty of Advocates, said. 'They are all the worse when they come from someone who holds the post of deputy convenor of the Scottish Parliament's Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. 'It really should not require to be said, but the Supreme Court – indeed, all judges – are in post to apply the law. They do not take sides. They decide without fear or favour, consistently with the judicial oath. 'For Ms Chapman to claim that they were swayed by 'bigotry, prejudice and hatred' is outrageous. We are talking about the apex court of these islands, in this instance made up of a bench which included two of Scotland's finest legal minds, as well as two women. 'No sensible person could read their dispassionate analysis and conclude that they were swayed by such matters.' White hopes her motion will be the 'first step' in Parliament agreeing to take appropriate action against Chapman for her remarks – and for her refusal to apologise for them. If the motion is successful, it will go to a vote of the full Parliament to decide whether Maggie Chapman remains in her role. First Minister John Swinney has also said Chapman's comments were 'wrong' in that she questioned the independence of the judiciary. On Friday, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was asked about Chapman's position as deputy convener of the committee. He said: 'Ultimately, this is a matter for the committee and for structures of the Parliament. 'But I think there is a broader point here which is people have strong views, and I am perfectly relaxed with people having strong views, people can have big disagreements, that's part of our democracy, part of debates. 'But when we get into the place of attacking the judiciary, attacking law officers, attacking judges, undermining the rule of law and calling people bigoted or racist or sexist based on judgments made on the evidence of the law, I think that takes us down a very, very dangerous route.' The committee will meet on Tuesday morning to discuss the motion. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
