Iain MacWhirther in the Times Scotland Today

I don't know that Starmer has changed his stance either. He's still flip-flopping like a landed haddock.

(cough) Rutherglen (cough)

He says that Starmer has changed his stance after “a brief period of woke confusion”. It wasn’t brief, it lasted for some years! And it wasn’t confusion either.

The absurdity of self-ID should have been obvious to anyone.

<Coughs>. Yes mate, I do wonder why nobody ever brought it up before you came along.

Jesus christ the pink lycra I will never un-see that image ever .

I think Iain McWhirter needs to read Andrew Neil's article of 1st August.

I think this is an article written by someone who has come late to the issue and doesn't really understand.

And hasn't mentioned that an article like this would not be published in most other newspapers.

Its great that the Times gets a range of people to write on this, but effectively it is an echo chamber for their readers, who aren't the ones who need to have their acceptance of the trans agenda challenged.

Ffs that should say, doesn't have consequences for everyone

Perhaps I'm being generous here, however I took that as part of offering a golden bridge to the newly horrified who can no longer pretend that be kind has consequences for everyone.

@IcakethereforeIam I suspect that it was a poorly written sarcastic barb

I do a bit resent the suggestion that nobody noticed or made a fuss until Isla Bryson appeared.

Women have been shouting themselves hoarse, putting their livelihoods, reputations and safety on the line for the past few years. Just that nobody was bloody listening til Isla showcased the problem clearly, in pink lycra.

'The absurdity of self-ID should have been obvious to anyone.' - indeed.

Yeah, I think Iain MacWhirter is giving Holyrood credit that they don't deserve.

There is no need to seek permission! I thought putting Linehan outside Holyrood just showed them what the Enlightenment actually means!

Yes, thank you. This bit at the end intrigued me

That shameful censorship lingers at the Edinburgh festival, as we saw last week. Graham Linehan was banned from successive Fringe venues because of his adherence to human biology. He finally managed to stage his show outside the Scottish parliament. All credit to Holyrood for dismissing cancel culture and upholding the founding principle of the Scottish Enlightenment: freedom of speech.

Was permission needed or sought for Comedy Unleashed to rock up there? I wondered they'd probably thought 'fuck it, let's do the show right here', and Holyrood/Police Scotland were too aware of the optics to stop them.

What a great article. Even the BBC and Guardian will have to start reporting this properly soon. The slight shift (from nothing at all to just about a teeny bit more than lip-service) on the cancelled Glinner gig was a reasonable start but they have a lot of ground to make up quickly if they want to stay relevant to the masses. Many of the masses have already walked away from them but there will be a tipping point when they realise they need to change their editorial stance.

The uncancelling (is this a word?!) of Helen Joyce on the BBC would be a good milestone to see.

Thank you for the share token. It is an excellent article, very clear.

Agreed - a very clear article. And excellent comments below.