Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Here’s how your MSPs split over gender reform as final vote on controversial laws delayed

The final vote on gender reform plans is being held this week. Image: Shutterstock.
The final vote on gender reform plans is being held this week. Image: Shutterstock.

A final vote on new laws aimed at making it easier for trans Scots to legally change their gender which has sparked divisions within the SNP has been delayed until tomorrow.

Nicola Sturgeon has already lost one government minister over her gender reform plans.

And veteran Highlands SNP MSP Fergus Ewing has refused to sign up to the changes so far.

What will the law do?

The changes to the law are intended to remove obstacles for transgender people by allowing them to legally self-identify without medical approval.

Transmen and transwomen would also only need to live in their acquired gender for three months instead of two years, followed by a further three months before they get a new birth certificate.

But the proposals escalated into one of the biggest ongoing political rows in Holyrood. Opponents warn the reforms would put women at risk.

JK Rowling wears T-shirt accusing Nicola Sturgeon of ‘destroying women’s rights’. Image: JK Rowling/Twitter

Harry Potter author JK Rowling displayed her opposition by wearing a T-shirt branding Nicola Sturgeon a “destroyer of women’s rights”.

Vital or rushed?

Aberdeen-based Greens MSP Maggie Chapman is a strong supporter of the new laws.

She said: “It will remove some of the pain and trauma from a process that many trans people have told us they consider to be bureaucratic and demeaning.”

But Dr Sarah Pedersen, a media and communications professor at Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University, disagreed with her, claiming the policy had been “rushed”.

She said: “My research into the campaign has highlighted the depth of anger of so many women who have felt that their concerns about the impact of the proposed changes were not only not being listened to but were framed as bigoted.”

What’s happened so far?

The existing gender reform act was passed in 2004.

The first Holyrood vote on the principle of the new gender reforms passed with a comfortable majority on October 28 this year.

A final decision was originally supposed to be reached by tonight, but has now been delayed due to the lengthy amendments process.

A marathon session in Holyrood on the reforms lasted all the way until the lights went out at midnight on Tuesday.

The Tories spent the afternoon trying to controversially hold back the progress of the new laws by arguing SNP ministers should focus their attention elsewhere.

Proceedings were even suspended at one point due to a protest from campaigners watching from the gallery.

An agreement was reached to vote on all amendments by tonight with the final decision now delayed until Thursday afternoon.

How did north and north-east MSPs vote?

In total, seven SNP MSPs across the country rebelled against their party in October.

They included SNP veteran Fergus Ewing, who served under Ms Sturgeon as cabinet secretary for the rural economy and tourism until last May.

Fergus Ewing voted against the gender reform proposals. Image: DC Thomson.

Ash Regan had no choice but to quit her post as local communities minister because of her opposition to government policy.

On Tuesday, she again criticised the reforms in Holyrood in defiance of her party’s leadership.

Earlier in December, Aberdeenshire Tory MSP Alexander Burnett suggested the SNP were trying to rush through their proposals to prevent finance chief Kate Forbes from resigning.

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Ms Forbes is on maternity leave from her post. In 2019, she was among a number of leading SNP figures who raised concerns over the plans.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, an MP in Aberdeen, confirmed he supported the gender reforms.

He said: “Trans people continue to suffer poorer outcomes compared to the rest of the population and this legislation will go a long way to righting that wrong – for that reason I am fully supportive of it.”

Every Tory MSP in the north and north-east – including party leader Douglas Ross – voted against the changes in October.

Former MSP Jenny Marra. Image: Alan Richardson.

Every Labour MSP in parliament voted in favour, but dissent against gender reform exists among party veterans.

Former North East politician Jenny Marra – the sister of MSP Michael Marra – has been a vocal critic of the reforms, along with ex-Labour leader Johann Lamont.

Conversation