Women's rights 'not safe' as John Swinney refuses to rule out gender reforms

[IwantToRetire]

The rights of women in Scotland under John Swinney will not be safe, according to the Scottish Tories after the likely next first minister refused to rule out bringing back controversial gender reforms. The soon-to-be SNP leader was also called out for saying he wanted to see more "respectful dialogue" in relation to the debate.

asked by Trevor Phillips on Sky News on Sunday if he would put gender reforms on ice, he merely said there were "issues I've got to consider" and he would look at "the best steps to take us forward".

Central to the debate has been the claim that transwomen as women, a question Mr Swinney refused to answer when he launched his leadership bid on Thursday.

the Scottish Greens tried to discredit the Cass report into transgender healthcare which has led to a pause in the prescribing of puberty blockers in Scotland.

Mr Swinney may need to placate the Greens if he wants to be elected first minister at Holyrood, raising the possibility the legislation could return in some form. He told Sky News: "There are issues I've got to consider about gender reform.

https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/womens-rights-not-safe-john-32739402

I suspect part of the point of this article is to let the Tories create a bit of a stir, but not reassured by response.

“Issues I’ve got to consider” roughly translates into…”how do I keep the greens onside here” because he knows he is beholden to their demands. He isnt really giving any headspace to solving the issues nor the impact it will have on women and girls. All his headspace is politically and self interest driven in terms of how can I keep the greens happy without signing a death sentence for the SNP and how do I get through the next 2 years doing as little as possible to progress anything.

My thoughts Jenny

Neil Gray revealed that the SNP won't work with Alba because they cant abide Alex Salmond.

Which leaves them beholden to the Greens.

Scottish politics is looking like a fractious playground squabble right now. Embarrassing.

I see he SNP is still utterly committed to hara kiri then. It's like catching a lemming as it's about to go over the cliff and offering it a sure repireve, only for the lemming to struggle away from its saviour and jump anyway.

You've almost got to respect such a commitment to self-destruction.

I think most Scots are ready for an election, so long as there's 'sack every last one of them and turn Holyrood into flats' option. What actual use are they?

He was monstrously incompetent as Education Secretary, who on Earth thought he was the only option for FM? He comes across as slippery and untrustworthy. He must be stupid if he thinks he can somehow sneak self ID in, under the radar.

Incompetent and untrustworthy are standard.

This is one reason I voted against PR, the Greens are holding the power over SNP despite the SNP having 9 times as many MSPs.

Yep. These people are utterly self serving and cowards

Has anyone got the clip of him being asked about the porn in schools at a meeting where the audience member read out what was being taught in schools?

Thank you!

https://archive.ph/YAH50

'the SNP exists merely as a conduit to impose a cultural revolution where science, reason and equality have been replaced by the magic beans of the gender cult. And all of it rooted in the intimidation of feminists and gay people.'
...
'Mr Swinney must also do as Anas Sarwar has now finally done and declare the scientific truth that transwomen are men and that the full findings of the Cass Review will be implemented with immediate effect. This aligns with the instincts and preferences of the overwhelming majority of Scottish voters.
If he retreats from these challenges - as his predecessor did - then his tenure will last barely much longer than his did.'

Don't hold back, Kevin, tell us what you really think!

Ha ha ha ha ha. They're so up their own arses they've no idea what the electorate thinks any more. Swinney sealing the deal for the SNP in Scotland, good man 😂

After seeing how it works in Scotland I've changed my mind a bit on PR. We can't vote out certain politicians which I think is wrong.

There must be better systems than D'hondt surely?

🎯

Yes. The way the SNP have governed over the past few years - power being concentrated into an ever diminishing number of people's hands, the membership/NEC being cut adrift, the quangos and their circle jerks, secrecy, opacity, legal attacks on journalists and rival politicians, an outright hostility to anyone not nodding along with the party line, has led us to a position where it really feels like it's the Scotgov versus the rest of the population. It's not healthy and it's very much not democratic.

Does anyone know why Kate Forbes agreed not to stand?

Did she feel she wouldn't get support if there was a contest?

The only light relief from all of this is that the Tories can now say well we aren't the only party who has had 3 unelected (by a national election) Prime / First Ministers!

IwantToRetire · Today 17:13

Does anyone know why Kate Forbes agreed not to stand?

I'm sure it's entirely untrue that Swinney has footage of her kicking puppies.

We've had PR in Ireland since Independence. The last one party government was elected in 1977. The then dominant party , Fianna Fáil , held two Referendums trying to bring in FPTP - to no avail.

A minor party in a coalition has to have red lines or they will be used as a mudguard and crushed at the next election . * Equally the senior partner must not allow itself to be messed around. They will lose seats at the next Holyrood and Westminster elections. But the Greens face extinction. Swinney must face them down surely.

• see Lib Dems in 2015 .

Just to add...I don't understand d'Hondt or AV . They seem needlessly opaque and spectacularly complex. We use Single Transferable Vote. Multiple member constituencies . You know exactly who you're voting for, no dodgy party lists or additional members blah blah . 20% of the vote = 20% of the seats. The End.

D'Hondt doesn't require Scotland's list system.

The Polish electoral system uses D'Hondt for calculating seat allowance, but in Polish elections, unlike the Scottish list, you vote for a particular candidate. You have a list of candidates from each party in your area and you choose one. If candidate number 8 from PartyA gets the most votes, that's the candidate that gets the first assigned seat for the party in that electoral area, though the party has ranked them lower than some others. This allows voters more choice as the systems allows the 'rejection' of high-ranking politicians while still voting for the party of your choice.

Voting out politicians is compatible with D'Hondt and with PR, just not with Scotland's version of it.

I think the fact that PR means it is in the public domain that a smaller party is putting pressure on the larger party is in fact preferable to the situation in the UK FPP.

So everyone knows the Tories aren't all the same, so I would prefer to see that for instance that ERG is trying to manipulate more centrist Tories, rather than deals done behind doors.

If fact the left of the Tories and the right of Labour probably have more in common with each other, than the others of their own parties.

She doesn't want to take the blame for the likely election defeat in 2026. That would be the end of her leadership. Swinney was about to retire so it doesn't matter to him.

That would be the end of her leadership.

You mean let him carry the can for SNP fiasco and then hope to become leader post 2026.

That shows dedication.