Nicola Sturgeon goes face-to-face with Rishi Sunak following passing of Scottish gender bill

Rishi Sunak and Nicola Sturgeon will meet for the first time on Thursday (12 January) since Scotland passed its gender law reforms, as the UK Government considers blocking the mandate.

The Prime Minister and Scottish First Minister are expected to meet face-to-face in Scotland and discuss issues such as the NHS, economy and Scottish independence. 

This will be the first time Mr Sunak has visited the country since becoming PM in October, unlike his predecessor Liz Truss, who allegedly did not call Ms Sturgeon once during her 49 days in office. 

This meeting also marks the first time the pair will meet after MSPs voted in December 2022 to make it easier for people to legally change their gender, alongside extending the self-identification system to 16 and 17-year-olds. 

The gender recognition reform (Scotland) bill was passed 86-39 and removes the need for a psychiatric diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order for people to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC), as well as lowering the age limit from 18 to 16.

Under the new legislation, the time will be reduced that someone must have been permanently living in their acquired gender before they can apply for a GRC – from two years to three months, or six months for those aged 16 and 17 – with a three-month reflection period during which a person can change their mind.

Ahead of the meeting, pro-LGBTQ+ campaigners have been performing “Time Warp” in a bid to drown out abusive chants from anti-trans protesters.

The counter-protesters in question responded by doing the Time Warp pic.twitter.com/vMnwWXsvm6

— Ross Hunter (@_Ross_Hunter) January 12, 2023

The process for obtaining a GRC remains the same for people living in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Once news broke, Scotland’s groundbreaking reforms were widely praised by the LGBTQ+ community as a historic moment for trans rights in the UK. 

However, the UK Government was quick to suggest it could block the bill from gaining Royal Assent entirely. 

“Lots of people have got concerns about this new bill in Scotland, about the impact it will have on women’s and children’s safety,” Mr Sunak said on December 23.  

“So I think it is completely reasonable for the UK Government to have a look at it, understand what the consequences are for women and children’s safety in the rest of the UK, and then decide on what the appropriate course of action is.”

He spoke after Tory Scottish secretary Alister Jack suggested he could seek to block Scotland’s gender recognition reforms from gaining Royal Assent via a never-before-used provision of the Scotland Act.

“We share the concerns that many people have regarding certain aspects of this bill, and in particular the safety issues for women and children,” Mr Jack said in a statement to PinkNews.

“We will look closely at that, and also the ramifications for the 2010 Equality Act and other UK-wide legislation, in the coming weeks – up to and including a Section 35 order stopping the bill going for Royal Assent if necessary.”

The PM’s meeting comes just days after the women and equalities minister Kemi Badenoch announced a review of the approved list of countries and territories whose process for changing gender on legal documents is recognised by the UK. 

This could include GCRs obtained in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 

Ms Badenoch, who also represents Saffron Walden in Essex, notified the Commons on Monday (January 9) that the Government would update the list to “make sure it does not compromise the integrity of the Gender Recognition Act”. 

She said: “There are now some countries and territories on the list who have made changes to their systems since then and would not now be considered to have equivalently rigorous systems. 

“It should not be possible for a person who would not satisfy the criteria to obtain UK legal gender recognition to use the overseas recognition route to obtain a UK Gender Recognition Certificate. 

“This would damage the integrity and credibility of the process of the Gender Recognition Act.”

The announcement has been blasted by LGBTQ+ leaders and groups across the country. 

Today, the UK Government put into motion plans to impose unprecedented restrictions on trans people's rights.

This is a spiteful attack on trans people who want to make their lives in Britain.

Act now. Call on the UK Gov to show trans people respect ⬇️https://t.co/kWlpCaiMXe

— Stonewall (@stonewalluk) January 9, 2023

Thousands of people have written to their MPs using an online form created by Stonewall, which calls for them to halt the Government’s response to the new legislation. 

As well as this, more than 145 LGBTQ+ leaders signed an open letter to the Prime Minister where they described the Tories’ response as in opposition to the “the inclusive values that characterise modern Britain”.

They add the government’s actions send a “clear message” that it does not “feel trans people are worthy of respect in our society” and are instead a “threat to contain”.