The Scottish government has lost its case against the UK government over its gender recognition bill.
The court rejected the SNP’s claim that Westminster had no right to block reforms that would make it easier to change sex legally.
In December last year, MSPs voted to pass the controversial Gender Recognition (Reform) Bill by 86 votes to 39.
But in an equally contentious move, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack used UK government powers to veto the bill, saying it could interfere with equality law nationwide.
The Scottish government lodged a legal challenge at the Court of Session to overturn that decision – but judges have now ruled that the UK government acted lawfully.
As things currently stand, the Scottish government wants to simplify and speed up the existing process by which people can obtain a gender recognition certificate – the legal recognition of a trans person’s “acquired” gender. As it currently stands, someone who wishes to apply to have their gender legally changed must present a diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
So, the Tories have doubled down and used their power to veto an amendment that would affect policy in Scotland. It is incredible that the Conservatives found the courage to stand up and use the power they had to stop this amendment.
How many other amendments could they have blocked, how many new policies could they, with their large majority, have pumped out, and how many great deals could they have made post-Brexit?
We are not saying they were wrong to block the Scottish Government’s proposal, but it does call into question the point of having devolved power such as the Holyrood Parliament.
Here lies a massive problem in our political system: far too many layers of bureaucracy in the corridors of power.
For too long, we have had to listen to councils blaming Westminster, Westminster blaming the Scottish government, and the Scottish government blaming councils for everything and anything, no one taking responsibility for anything.
The Homeland Party understands that there needs to be checks and balances in place, but one of our core beliefs is in local power for local people.
The current system uses checks and balances to ensure nothing really gets done unless it’s a progressive value, but that seems to have hit a wall even now.
Under the current system, we all lose. Oh, and by the way, this court case just cost you, the taxpayer, a cool £221,000.
