U.K. Politics: Nadine Dorries resigns her post as MP - or does she?

[Artoo]

Thats pennies compared to the damage she did to the markets.

[greek_boy]

[greek_boy]

British media are busy trashing Harry & Meghan...

[SholasBoy]

My worry about the possible introduction of restrictions on visitors from China now is how long before we see it grow to a list of half a dozen countries and then a few more and then a few more…

[theMathematician]

My worry about the possible introduction of restrictions on visitors from China now is how long before we see it grow to a list of half a dozen countries and then a few more and then a few more…

We judged China for having ridiculous measurements, and now other countries do it themselves. You can't call the pandemic over and then panic just because the last country gave up its zero Covid strategy and obviously has an increase of infections now as the people haven't built up anti bodies yet.

[stevyy]

watched a more recent rant by Nigel Farage on Brexit and the man is mentally ill, I think. He was very incoherent in his remarks.

[InFamous]

My worry about the possible introduction of restrictions on visitors from China now is how long before we see it grow to a list of half a dozen countries and then a few more and then a few more…

To be fair until last week China still had mandatory quarantine for anyone coming in.

[Artoo]

watched a more recent rant by Nigel Farage on Brexit and the man is mentally ill, I think. He was very incoherent in his remarks.

I haven’t watched whatever rant you’re referencing, but usually Farage explains things in very simple terms (leaving out a whole load of facts) which makes those ‘less worldly’ agree with him.

[greek_boy]

Never forget:

[greek_boy]

watched a more recent rant by Nigel Farage on Brexit and the man is mentally ill, I think. He was very incoherent in his remarks.

I don't know, maybe he's just an idiot who was offered money by some billionaires and Russian oligarchs to be part of the Leave campaign and now that the country is sinking, he doesn't know who to blame (since EU was their punching bag for years...but UK is not part of the EU anymore)

[Thriller]

The NHS will always be the dangling carrot of this country... until it ceases to exist.

[Wayne]

Constitutional Clash Over Gender Recognition Reform - Sunak and Sturgeon

Apologies, lengthy post ahead!

It's had some press coverage so you should be familiar with it but in case you aren't, Westminster is reportedly gearing itself up for a battle with Holyrood over Nicola Sturgeon's flagship plans to reform gender recognition in Scotland.

Headlines

• Nicola Sturgeon's Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was first proposed in 2021, included by Sturgeon as a manifesto promise - it was passed by the Scottish Parliament with a majority of 86-39 on 22 December 2022 but it also involved Sturgeon facing her biggest rebellion by her own party since she came to power.
• The bill was brought in response to a European Commission report in 2020 which looked at barriers to access for changing your gender. The report broke down procedures for changing gender into 5 categories and it categorised the UK process in the second from bottom category as it required "intrusive medical requirements" that lag behind human rights standards. There was also criticism of the bureaucracy involved and timeliness of the process (with it taking successful applicants over 2 years on average to change their gender).
• The bill proposed by Sturgeon and since passed by the Scottish Parliament is controversial as it proposed to reduce the age at which someone can legally apply to change their gender from 18 to 16, it removes the requirement for a person to get a medical diagnosis of "gender dysphoria" before they can apply to change their gender and it removes the waiting time from two years to six months of living in an acquired gender. The overriding principle - and arguably most important aspect - of the legislation is self-identification: the trans person defines their own gender, rather than a medical professional making the decision.

The Scottish Parliamentary Process has five steps, with Sturgeon's bill currently at step 4 (it just now needs Royal Assent):

1. Pre-legislative Consultation.
2. Stage 1.
3. Stage 2.
4. Stage 3.
5. Royal Assent (the process of King Charles approving new laws)

At Stage 2 (or step 3 of the above process), the Scottish Parliament voted to included some amendments to the Bill. These were:

• Amendments on guidance and support for applicants' aged 16 or 17.
• Changes to the periods of time for applications surrounding terminal illness and 16 and 17-year-olds.
• A new offence of making a fraudulent application for a gender recognition certificate.
• Processes on rejecting an application for a Gender Recognition Certificate.
• Publication of information on the processes by the registrar general.
• The publication of reports relating to prisons and the unlawful disclosure of an individual's trans status. And
• An overall review of the legislation and that the Equality Act 2010 is unaffected were passed.

Throughout its time in Parliament, the Bill has received a lot of criticism - not unanimous but quite vocal - with critics arguing that it lessens hard-won rights of women, it makes vulnerable women spaces less safe and it gives power to young people that might not have the capacity or experience to make such important decisions. There's also criticism that removing medical requirements from the process makes it too easy and possibly means people making irreversible decisions too quickly. Supporters of the Bill argue that this makes Scotland a progressive country and brings it into line with 9 other countries that have similar laws (such as Ireland and Iceland) and it safeguards and expands the rights and protections of trans people.

So, what next?

This is where the constitutional clash comes in. When the Scottish Parliament was created, the UK government created the legislative framework for devolution of power to it via The Scotland Act 1998. In simple terms, it means certain policy areas are devolved to the Scottish parliament (such as Health, Education, Elections and some areas of Taxation - with much more as well) but other areas are reserved to Westminster (or the UK Government). The UK legislation that sets out the protection of trans rights is the Equality Act 2010 (and the process for changing gender is set out in The Gender Recognition Act 2004) and critics of the Bill - and apparently, Rishi Sunak himself having received legal advice - argue that making these changes is not within the legal competence of the Scottish Parliament, it's a reserved matter for Westminster. Sturgeon disagrees and is pressing forward, seeking Royal Assent for the Bill to be adopted into Scottish law which means Sunak has essentially three options:

1. Not contest the matter, allowing the Bill to receive Royal Assent.
2. Exercise a Section 33 right, which would require the UK Supreme Court to rule on whether the Bill is in the legal competence of the Scottish Parliament.
3. Exercise a Section 35 right, which would block the Bill from receiving Royal Assent and becoming law.

It's being reported that Sunak is gearing up to exercise a Section 35 right, a power which has never been exercised by any UK Prime Minister before, on the basis that it undermines the UK Equality Act 2010 (something the Scottish Parliament are not permitted to do). Against the backdrop of the Scottish independence movement, this could throw up an almighty row over whether an independent Scotland would be better off. Some people have stated that Sturgeon has deliberately done this to energise the independence debate, as she knows a Conservative government would never allow such a Bill to pass.

It's going to be an interesting few weeks!

[Artoo]

Sturgeon has deliberately done this to energise the independence debate

This.

Sturgeon only ever has one goal and that is independence. Everything she does is to further the cause and this is just the next step in her grand plan of convincing Scotland that independence is a democratic necessity. There will be more over the next year and it will all form the basis of her election campaign.

Frankly it’s all starting to feel a little bit too reminiscent of King Charles III.

[Plym]

kween nicola I of scotland! it has a lovely ring to it. i love reading english people seeth with anger at the mention of her name, the sturgeon royal dynasty is coming and there are no rapists or brother beaters in that family!

[Wayne]

Sir Keir Starmer today told Laura Kuenssberg this morning that he essentially disagrees with Sturgeon's new law but stopped short of supporting a constitutional challenge ala Rishi Sunak's reported plans...

16 is too young to change legal gender, says Starmer

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer believes 16-year-olds are too young to change their legally recognised gender.

The UK Labour leader voiced "concerns" about the Scottish government's reforms to the process, citing a potential impact on UK-wide equalities law.

The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, passed by MSPs, removes the need for people to get a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria before starting the change process.

It also drops the age limit to 16, and cuts the amount of time the process takes from two years to a matter of months.

Scottish Labour supported the reforms, and almost all of its MSPs voted for the finalised bill.

But Sir Keir told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "I have concerns about the provision in Scotland, in particular the age reduction to 16 and, in particular, the rejection of our amendment in relation to the Equalities Act."

Pressed on whether you are old enough at 16 to decide to change gender, he replied: "No, I don't think you are."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-sco...itics-64283154

[Wayne]

Here we go, Sunak has confirmed he will be blocking the bill!

[Wayne]

[Artoo]

Sturgeon knew exactly what she was doing. On the one hand she’s sayings it’s not democratic, yet the process being invoked is the democratic process agreed for when the Scottish Parliament overreaches - it cannot be both.

[jordi_89]

Team Sturgeon

[Wayne]

[Artoo]

Can we please just have a PM who doesn’t break the law? Surely that’s not too much to ask?

[theMathematician]

Can we please just have a PM who doesn’t break the law? Surely that’s not too much to ask?

Dreamer !

[greek_boy]

General elections this year, please.

[greek_boy]

hmmm weird that it's not getting more media attention.

[Artoo]

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gets fixed penalty notice for not wearing seatbelt in a moving car while filming social media video

Lancashire Police said it had issued a 42-year-old man in London with a conditional offer of a fixed penalty.

Mr Sunak had previously apologised for the incident, saying it was an "error of judgement".

BBC