Scottish gender recognition bill would leave UK law untouched, court told

Holyrood lawyer argues UK minister relied on ‘irrelevant considerations’ to justify use of section 35 veto

Holyrood’s gender recognition reform bill would leave UK-wide equality law untouched, and the Westminster government’s reasons for blocking it are “almost entirely unsupported by evidence”, Scotland’s most senior law officer has said.

Dorothy Bain, the lord advocate, set out arguments on behalf of Scottish ministers on the first day of their challenge to Downing Street’s unprecedented veto of the bill. The bill was passed by a cross-party majority in the Holyrood parliament last December and would make Scotland the first part of the UK to introduce a self-identification system for people who want to change their legally recognised sex.