Scottish Government set for court battle with Westminster over gender recognition reforms

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A legal challenge against a UK Government decision to block Holyrood gender reforms will go ahead next month, it was confirmed today.Alister Jack caused outrage in January when he issued a rare Section 35 order to prevent the Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) Bill from becoming law.The Tory Scottish Secretary insisted the controversial legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament was incompatible with existing UK-wide equalities laws.Humza Yousaf confirmed his government would fight Jack's decision in court after he became First Minister in March.During a 20-minute hearing today, the Court of Session decided the Scottish Government’s case will be presented first at a hearing next month.The respondent, the UK Governmet, will speak during the remainder of day two and three.The full hearing will be heard by judge Lady Haldane and will take place at the Court of Session over three days.The GRR Bill was a key plank of the powersharing deal signed between the SNP and Greens following the 2021 Holyrood election.The legislation aimed aim to make it easier for trans people to self-identify and obtain a gender recognition certificate.It was supported by a majority of MSPs at Holyrood and cleared its final legislative hurdle in December.But Jack utilised a never-before-used powersunder the Scotland Act – the legislation which established the devolved Scottish Parliament – to halt the gender laws.He called on the Scottish Government to revise its gender reforms and present new legislation which complied with UK equalities laws.Yousaf previously claimed the legal challenge was necessary to “defend the Scottish Parliament’s democracy from the Westminster veto”.But that decision has been questioned by some in the SNP.