Nicola Sturgeon says it would be ‘outrage’ for Rishi Sunak to block her gender ID law

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said it would be an “outrage” for Rishi Sunak to block Scotland’s gender “self-identification” law. The bill pushed by the Scotland’s first

minister – which passed at Holyrood last month – will allow trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) without the need for a medical diagnosis. But

multiple reports have suggested that the legal advice the Sunak government has received will provide the PM with the cover he needs to trigger Section 35 of the Scotland Act and

block the law. Ms Sturgeon insisted the bill passed at Holyrood did not clash with UK Equality Act – arguing that it was passed “after very lengthy and very intense scrutiny

by MSPs”. “If there is a decision to challenge, then in my view, it will be quite simply a political decision,” she told a press conference on Monday. The SNP leader

added: “And I think using trans people, already one of the most vulnerable stigmatised groups in our society as a political weapon, will be unconscionable and indefensible and

really quite disgraceful.” She warned Mr Sunak that blocking legislation passed in Scotland was a “very, very slippery slope”, adding: “I think the import and significance

of this would go beyond the particular subject matter of the legislation.” If Mr Sunak does decide to take the so-called “nuclear option” of blocking the law passed at

Holyrood, he will become the first No 10 incumbent to use the blocking mechanism. The Scotland Act, which established a devolved Scottish parliament, gives Westminster four

weeks to consider bills passed by Holyrood that could have an “adverse effect on the operation of the law”.