SNP MP Joanna Cherry has said she “cannot understand” why the Scottish Government is taking Westminster to court over its veto of Scotland’s gender legislation.
The Edinburgh South West MP has been an outspoken critic of her own party’s gender legislation and has since reacted to news of a legal challenge.
Writing on Twitter, she said: “I cannot understand why @scotgov is taking legal action it’s unlikely to win rather than sorting out the problems with the #GRRbill at home.
“Reform could be effected in Scotland without breaching #equality or #HumanRights law if there was the will so to do.”
The UK Government has already pledged to “robustly defend” its decision to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from becoming law, citing that it would have “an adverse effect on reserved matters, including on the operation of the law as it applies to Great Britain-wide equalities protections”.
I cannot understand why @scotgov is taking legal action it’s unlikely to win rather than sorting out the problems with the #GRRbill at home. Reform could be effected in Scotland without breaching #equality or #HumanRights law if there was the will so to do. https://t.co/omPNfE1Ab9
— Joanna Cherry KC (@joannaccherry) April 12, 2023
Former SNP leadership candidate Ash Regan also disagreed with taking Westminster to court.
She believes that the Scottish Government’s legal challenge over its gender legislation will result in a “humiliating defeat”.
Writing on Twitter, Regan said: “The decision to challenge the Section 35 will result in a humiliating defeat.
“The GRR is deeply unpopular amongst Scottish voters and court action will cost a vast amount of taxpayers money.
The decision to challenge the Section 35 will result in a humiliating defeat. The GRR is deeply unpopular amongst Scottish voters and court action will cost a vast amount of taxpayers money. Losing 30k party members over this policy means it’s time for a re-think.
— Ash Regan MSP (@AshReganSNP) April 13, 2023
“Losing 30k party members over this policy means it’s time for a re-think.”
Meanwhile, the Alba Party have also said that the issue is holding back the push towards independence.
The party’s national women’s convener, Dr Yvonne Ridley, said: “We must be united in our efforts to secure Scotland’s independence, and we must be focused on the needs and aspirations of the Scottish people.
"The First Minister should focus less attention on polarising issues such as gender reforms and more time on issues that can garner the support of the entire population, such as highlighting the absurdity that many people in Scotland live in fuel poverty when we are a land of energy plenty.
"It’s time to start spending less time on self-identification and more time on self-determination."
Yousaf said throughout the course of his leadership that the block was a "undemocratic veto over legislation that was passed by a majority of the Scottish Parliament".
Alba also accused Nicola Sturgeon's government of trying to "railroad through an incoherent self-ID policy that is not wanted by the people of Scotland".
"We need a change of focus with the attention of the Scottish Government on issues that matter to the people of Scotland," it said.
