The removal of a member of the public from the Scottish Parliament over a Suffragette scarf was not a reasoned nor democratic decision, writes Euan McColm.
I think we can safely add to the file marked “things that should never have to be said” a statement made by Holyrood’s presiding officer on Tuesday.
“Let me make one thing crystal clear,” Alison Johnstone told MSPs, “Suffrage colours are not, and never have been, banned at the Scottish Parliament.”
How extraordinary that such a clarification was made necessary. But, I’m afraid, it was, thanks to the intervention of parliamentary security guards, who kicked a member of the public out of a committee meeting for having the audacity to wear a scarf in the purple, green, and white of the Suffragette movement. Commemoration of women who fought for voting equality is, it seems, an unacceptable act.
This awful, heavy-handed behaviour came during a meeting of the parliament’s Equalities Committee, currently discussing reform of the Gender Recognition Act to make it easier for people to formally change the gender in which they live.
Some women opposed to changes in the law over fears the move will weaken their right to same-sex spaces have, in recent years, taken to wearing Suffragette colours. This hardly seems a dangerously provocative act, yet the SNP MSP who convenes the Equalities Committee seemed happy to be persuaded otherwise.
Suffragette colours are not unacceptably political
Challenged by opposition MSPs over the woman’s removal from the public seating area, Fitzpatrick closed down the session, telling members – in private – that the woman had been removed on the orders of security bosses in order to prevent “political” demonstrations.
How pathetic. Had he any concern for democracy, Fitzpatrick would have intervened publicly to prevent the woman’s expulsion from the meeting.
Alison Johnstone said the woman’s expulsion from the committee was an error, and that she wished to apologise on behalf of the parliament.
It should have been no more controversial to him that a member of the public chose to wear the colours of the Suffragette movement than that a number of members of the committee chose to wear rainbow flag lanyards. If a Suffragette flag should be deemed unacceptably political, so should any other campaign colours.
But, of course, nobody would ban the rainbow flag from Holyrood. The very idea is preposterous.
Even as security guards were evicting a member of the public from this meeting, visitors to the Scottish Parliament gift shop could buy a number of items – including scarves – commemorating the Suffragette movement. Furthermore, there exist countless photographs of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other senior MSPs wearing the colours as they encourage more women to get into politics.
Alison Johnstone said the woman’s expulsion from the committee was an error, and that she wished to apologise on behalf of the parliament.
This was the very least she could have said. But, her apology doesn’t erase the feeling that something has gone badly wrong at Holyrood.
Euan McColm is a regular columnist for various Scottish newspapers
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