Ash Regan to stand for SNP leader

She was on maternity leave over the entire period of the three votes - apparently one of the reasons the SNP was so desperate to push it through before Christmas is that she was coming back in the new year and they didn't want to risk a second minister resigning over it, particularly not such a high-profile one.

Anas Sarwar, the leader of the Scottish Labour party was just on the Andrew O'Neil show. O'.Neill gave him a proper grilling over the fact hat he whipped the Labour party to vote for the amendments to the GRR.

Would he ditch the bill altogether given that the Scottish people were two thirds opposed to it?

You got the distinct feeling he senses which way the wind is blowing on this issue and cagily suggested that the priorities were for reform; namely making the GRA " more humane" as well as "protecting single sex spaces".

He knows he dare not suggest ditching the bill altogether as he and his party are too committed, even in spite of themselves.

One issue, of course, is the Ladty Haldane ruling which states that being in receipt of a GRA would for all intents and purposes change one's legal sex; thus making a nonsense of the aim of protecting single sex spaces.

They also had Alex Salmond on and he was pushed as to whether Alba may now rejoin the SNP. He was more interested in a coalition of independence parties and groups, though he did state that he thought that the bill to amend the GRR was a distracting sideshow that had little favour amongst the Scottish people.

Oh not Humza. Please not him.

But not against it enough to risk her ministerial post. She could have voted against the Bill, if she felt that strongly.

Seriously do you think dropping the GRA Reform makes the SNP a competent party to run a country?

She's the economics minister who doesn't understand how the Barnett formula works.

She's currently on maternity leave which is extremely useful for her as it means she can square her conscience by declining to vote at all on the GRA bill (her religious conscience dictates she is against it and she could have voted) but still keep her snout firmly in the trough of the ministerial pay packet.

So it's Humza v Ash.

Thanks 2bazookas and ArabellaScott.

Very interesting times.

Ah! The ancient Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times".

Wings on the subject.

Robin McAlpine on leadership election.

The Greens making this their red line issue to forfeit any political influence on environmental legislation surely has to make environmental activists pause for thought.

I've voted Green sometimes - I think the climate is the most pressing issue for all of us. Of course the Greens need a position on other issues, or they wouldn't be a full political party, but I don't see how I can vote for them unless or until they take a different position on self-ID and women's spaces. It might be a red line issue for them, but it's also a deal-breaker for me.

Inexperienced MSP.
She is an avid member of the evangelical Free church of Scotland, which is opposed to abortion ("murder") and homosexuality/same sex marriage.

I had to look up the Free Church and tbh I'm not much the wiser. Can't make out if they're the same as the Wee Frees.

An old friend was raised in what he called the Free Presbyterian Church - not to be confused with Paisley's Church of that name in Northern Ireland. It's helluva complicated.

He told me they weren't allowed a crib at Christmas as it's not in the bible as such. It's a private matter though and I'm sure she keeps it apart from her politics.

Ruth Kelly was in Opus Dei. Sadiq Khan is a Muslim. Sunak is a Hindu. Caroline Lucas? Dunno ..probably a Druid.

The Scottish Greens have recently been protesting against themselves with regard to budget cuts. It is all completely performative. They will rant and rave but in the end sign anything to keep their ministerial posts.

This is such a gamble. The Tories are looking like the only party that cares about womens rights. Which is how they will play the Westminster fight.

Yes. What a mess.

The Greens making this their red line issue to forfeit any political influence on environmental legislation surely has to make environmental activists pause for thought.

And the SNP, willing to risk Independence over this too surely must make Indy supporters think too.

I think calculations might be that the fight they hope to have with Westminster will yield benefits. Counting on - 'Nothing gets up the ire of a Scot like a No from England'.

Until, we get another case like Isla Bryson or the butcher from Melrose. Which will make Scots angrier .....?

Or her opinion on the trans issue?

Can anyone bring me up to speed with Kate Forbes please? Where does she fit with everything?

Awesome

What a pickle the SNP have got themselves in. Pushing through what was described as a 'simple administrative change' is going to cost them enormously regardless of which side wins the argument in the end. This issue will cause/reveal massive cracks in the party throughout the leadership contest. Oh dear .,,