Women’s rights ‘set on fire’ in Scotland, claims Findlay

Women’s rights have been “set on fire” in Scotland, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has said in a debate about single-sex spaces.

Mr Findlay hit out at the Scottish Government, whose push to bring in self-identification of gender was blocked by the UK government in 2023.

In the Holyrood debate, the party urged ministers to provide “clarity” to public bodies on the need to provide single-sex spaces, following on from the employment tribunal brought by NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie.

At every level, from the top of the Government, to our NHS, councils, policing and schools, women's rights have been set on fire

Ms Peggie was suspended by the health board following an incident with transgender doctor Beth Upton in a female changing room, who made an allegation of bullying and harassment.

The veteran nurse took action against the board and Dr Upton, thrusting the issue of single-sex spaces and transgender rights into the limelight.

“At every level, from the top of the Government, to our NHS, councils, policing and schools, women’s rights have been set on fire,” Mr Findlay said.

“Even today, after all of this has played out in public, many state agencies just don’t get it.”

Mr Findlay went on to urge First Minister John Swinney and former first minister Nicola Sturgeon – under whom the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was introduced – to back his party’s motion.

Voting for his party could be the “first step to rehabilitating her record and legacy”, he said of Ms Sturgeon.

Asked about the debate earlier on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon – who has just announced she will not seek re-election next year – said: “I think we all should ask ourselves what more we could have done to stop this debate descending into the state it is in just now.”

She accepted “people have different views on this”, saying “that is democracy”.

However she added: “I think we all need to reflect on the nature of the debate.

“I think, and it is just my opinion, we will reach a point, I don’t know how long in the future it will be, I hope it is sooner rather than later, that we look back and feel a sense of collective shame at the vilification of trans people, one of the most stigmatized, discriminated against groups in our society.”

Speaking for the Government in the debate, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Scottish Government stands firmly behind the Equality Act 2010.”

The minister said debates around equality issues “can be polarised” and MSPs should be “mindful of the negative impact that polarised and sometimes inaccurate public discussion can have on the groups and the individuals impacted by what we will speak about today”.

In a speech where Ms Somerville repeatedly ignored attempts by Tory MSPs and even the SNP’s Fergus Ewing to intervene, she added: “The Scottish Government has always sought to debate this topic with sensitivity and compassion, based on evidence and the rule of law.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said single-sex spaces are protected in the Equality Act, adding: “Women and girls have a right to feel safe in our public buildings, especially in schools and in hospitals.”

But Scottish Green equalities spokeswoman Maggie Chapman hit out at the Tories for bringing the debate, which she described as “deeply damaging”.

The tone of the motion, she said, “threatens the rights and wellbeing of all women, cis as well as trans”, adding: “The Tories are wrong, they are deeply, tragically and bitterly wrong.

“This motion is wrong, morally, legally and practically.

“This motion, disguised as policy, represents collective punishment, of trans women, of trans men, of non-binary people, or intersex people, of women who are too tall or too broad, who have the wrong voices or the wrong clothes, hair in the wrong places, or not enough of it.

“Anyone, in short, who does not slot into their neat little boxes.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “By any metric and by far the biggest threat to the safety of women and girls comes not from the trans community, but rather from predatory men.”