With seemingly perfect timing, just after the SNP passed a Scottish version of the Gender Recognition Reform bill by 86 votes to 39, the story of Isla Bryson reared its ugly head.
Isla Bryson or Adam Graham, as he was known when he committed two rapes. Claimed to be transgender after he was arrested (he was living full time as a man then).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isla_Bryson_case
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/new-trans-prisoner-storm-...
This caused a lot of dissension in her own party and her popularity fell like a stone. There were interviews where she was asked if Byrson was a man or a woman. Nicola could not give an answer.
The Bill was voted through but is being blocked from royal assent by the UK Government.
The first opinion polls conducted since the Bryson row suggested a negative impact for the SNP, Ms Sturgeon and the cause of independence.
On top of this, there were questions over a loan of more than £100,000 that Peter Murrell, the SNP's chief executive and Ms Sturgeon's husband gave to the party in June 2021 to help it out with a "cash flow" issue after the last election.
The British press never really liked Nicola Sturgeon they had a field day being able to attack her on two fronts.
Although we don't have laws going through preventing any treatment like some states in the USA. I do not think it will get any easier anytime soon. The media will just drag up the worst of the worst. Any mass murderer that claims to be trans years after his arrest will be reported as a trans murderer, so they can say "See, this is what they are like". The papers were full of headlines that said "Trans rapist".
If I flew a plane around the world and then went blind a week later would they say "Blind man flies around the world"?
This was the bill that was turned down by the UK Government.
Applications would be made to the Registrar General for Scotland instead of the Gender Recognition Panel, a UK tribunal
Applicants do not need to submit a medical diagnosis and evidence to support the application (as current process needs)
Applicants would make a statutory declaration that they have lived in the acquired gender for at least three months before applying (rather than the current period of two years) and that they intend to live permanently in their acquired gender. The application would then be determined by the Registrar General after a three month reflection period if the applicant confirms they want to proceed;
Applicants would either be the subject of an entry in a birth or adoption record kept by the Registrar General, or be ordinarily resident in Scotland
the minimum age of applicants would be 16, rather than 18 at present; and the Registrar General would be required to report annually on the operation of the process.
Comments
No.
There were all sorts of things going on including a possible coup.
Angharad
While I get the whole
While I get the whole independence thing. I do wonder how realistic it is. They had a vote and said no. Do they keep having votes until they get the result they want and say no more votes? Perhaps it should be every 25 years or something.
There are plenty in the UK that would vote to get rid of Scotland when they see stuff like this
During 2021-22 tax revenue generated in Scotland amounted to about £73.8 billion, including North Sea oil revenue. During the same period, Scotland benefited from about £97.5 billion in public spending, a difference of £23.7 billion.
The 23.7 billion came from the rest of the UK. It has never been clarified what currency they would use.
Leeanna
Things like independence is about so much
not only economics. Hadn't that been the case the Brexit referendum would have had another outcome. The Brexit thing is the basis for a new referendum according to SNP et al. They consider that Brexit changed things fundamentally, especially since many who voted in 2014 to remain in the UK did that in order to remain in the EU and not have to apply for membership as an independent Scotland would have to do.
However, Scottish independence, for whatever reason, would make Northern Ireland's position in the UK almost untenable.
The SNP's fallacious "Brexit changed everything"
is an attempt to get people to forget their earlier campaign. In 2014, Salmond repeatedly said "once in a generation," while Sturgeon repeatedly said "once in a lifetime" (You can hear both quotes by searching youtube). As I know of no 9-year-old Scottish mothers and have not seen Sturgeon's death certificate, it appears that they have no grounds for having a new referendum.
As a proud Scot
As a proud Scottish Lass, I have to say that Ms Sturgeon did nothing for those of us who are genuinely Trans in Scotland.
I have jumped through the hoops, and have a "proper" Gender Recognition Certificate, and, in due course, will go the distance with surgery and all.
I fear that she just gave us all a bad name, but then I was never a believer in her kind of world, and I cannae say I will miss her.
All the Scots I know are proud to be British, (and glad that as Scots we are the best nation!!)
If the politicians of all flavours spent a day in my shoes, they would be more bothered about funding schools so that we can have the heating on, and the roof to the classrooms doesn't leak, and less bothered about which politician sits in the big chair down in Edinburgh.
The Sweetest Hours
That ere I spent
Were spent dressed
as a Lassie, Oh
I did wonder if she genuinely
I did wonder if she genuinely believed in what she was saying or was virtue signaling as many politicians seem to do. I think they knew it would probably never go through the UK parliament, but thought they could take the moral high ground when it didn't.
If that was the plan it backfired badly and put back the acceptance of trans for the whole country.
What does surprise me is many people don't seem to realise that act of union happened under a Scottish king.
Leeanna