Humza Yousaf has been urged today to rule out “wasting any more taxpayers’ cash” on an appeal against his government’s legal defeat on the controversial Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
The Court of Session ruled on Friday that the Scottish Secretary acted lawfully in issuing a Section 35 Order blocking the SNP’s Bill on the grounds that it impacted on equality laws elsewhere in the UK.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher has written to the First Minister calling on him to accept the verdict and finally drop a piece of legislation that “jeopardises the safety of women and girls” and “is opposed by the vast majority of Scots”.
She says Humza Yousaf must stand up to his Scottish Green colleagues, who would happily see the Scottish Government “throw good money after bad on a flimsy legal case designed to stoke constitutional grievance”.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher MSP said: “After his comprehensive and humiliating court defeat on Friday, Humza Yousaf must rule out wasting any more taxpayers’ cash on defending Nicola Sturgeon’s deeply flawed GRR Bill.
“If he was foolish enough to appeal Lady Haldane’s decision, he would be throwing good money after bad on a flimsy legal case designed to stoke constitutional grievance.
“And, laying aside the financial and legal arguments against appealing this ruling, he would be seeking to defend legislation that poll after poll has shown is deeply unpopular with the public.
“This self-ID Bill jeopardises the safety of women and girls, which is why it is opposed by the vast majority of Scots.
“The First Minister must stand up to his partners in the Scottish Greens and drop the GRR Bill. The Isla Bryson case is one of many which highlighted its dangerous impact on women, and the sheer folly of railroading it through parliament with the support of Labour and the Liberal Democrats.”