What now in Scotland?

[Sausagenbacon]

Can I ask for clarity on this?
Am I right in thinking that the reforms to the GRA discussed last night are dead in the water?
Is it expected that Westminster and Holyrood have to meet to discuss the way forward, as some speakers said, or do Holyrood have to come up with better legislation that won't be knocked back under Section 35?

From the article Mr Bonnington, Ms Sturgeon's former law tutor, said that if the SNP Government's challenge is based on an alleged 'attack on the devolution settlement' then it 'is doomed to fail'.He added: 'It is worrying that SNP MSPs and MPs are so ignorant of the legislation which applies to this matter that they have wasted everyone's time in the emergency debate in the Commons by making complete fools of themselves by concentrating on an irrelevant point.'In short, they appear to struggle to understand the function of the Scottish parliament.'

I saw Lord Hope being interviewed about this and it would be a monumental waste of time and money to challenge it - but that won't stop the SNP because it provides a huge distraction and loads of drama.

I did a bit of research and the next general election can be held no later than May 2025 but the belief is that it will be held in May 2024. I wonder if Nicola hopes this will rumble on just long enough to maintain the 'how very dare they' anger that will bolster support for independence. Or will the Tories sit back and watch the Scottish Government tie themselves in knots and bankrupt themselves, and hold out till May 2025?

Either way it's going to be hugely painful for all those Scottish citizens who feel ignored and bulldozed on this issue. The only shred of hope I cling to, is that there are organisations like For Women Scotland and Murray Blackburn Mackenzie holding the SG accountable every step of the way.

Just on a technical or do I mean legal point.

Can you have a Judicial Review of a decision voted on by (UK) MPs in the House of Commons?

ie does that mean that what the Commons is meant to stand for, a democratic vote (ha ha) is of less importance than a legal judgement.

I have a fuzzy memory of this being attempted to be done when Johnson prorogued Parliament.

Sorry if this seems like repitition as I have said it on other threads, but it seems like NS and TRAs are going all out to say the SSE of the UK wide EA are not in any way changed by the new Scottish GRR.

Here is the latest example:

There is a specific exception to the default rule that trans women should be treated as women in the Equality Act, to do with “safe spaces” – organisations such as Rape Crisis Scotland, for example, can potentially justify not providing their services to trans women; www.scottishlegal.com/articles/gwyneth-king-damaging-delay-to-gender-recognition-reform-in-scotland

Funny isn't it that they are now so ready to quote this entitlement to single sex spaces, when they have put so much effort into denying it or corrupting it by saying those with a GRC are included - despite it being name as an exemption.

I agree @IwantToRetire it's almost as if they were doing our job for us by fighting stonewall law🤣

Plus some clearer guidance on when a GRC owner can be excluded from single sex spaces.

This is a serious issue (among all the other serious issues!). There is the constant claim that anything gender will not affect women because of the ability to exclude specified in the EA. The problem is that it is a permission, not a requirement. If providers choose not to exercise this permission, the gender act reformers' do not see it as their problem.

It's not a new problem. The right to exclude has been there all along, but organisations are either captured by Stonelaw propaganda, or are afraid of repercussions by people far more aggressive than even excluded women tend to be.

Not only does the EA need to be updated to make it clear that sex refers to biology, and not gender-woo or legal fiction, but it also needs to be updated to make it clear that single-sex spaces are a requirement, not an option, when any of the female users prefer them.

single-sex spaces are a requirement, not an option,

Totally agree