Gender row 'was a shock'

NICOLA Sturgeon has admitted she "didn't anticipate" how much criticism her gender reform legislation would garner.

- BY CHRIS MCCALL

In tonight's interview on STV, the former first minister admits she should have paused legislation because of the backlash she received.

The ex-SNP leader says: "I didn’t anticipate as much as I should, or engage as much as I should, on some of the concerns that might then be triggered.

"At the point I knew it was becoming, or felt it becoming, as polarised I should have said, 'Right, OK, let's pause, let's take a step back.'