FM's 'humiliating U-turn' as flagship misogyny bill axed

JOHN SWINNEY has made yet another humiliating U-turn as he axed two of Nicola Sturgeon's flagship bills.

- By David Walker Scottish Politics Reporter

The First Minister admitted defeat over legislation that would have criminalised misogyny in Scotland.

He also axed a bill to outlaw gay conversion therapy, enraging the Scottish Greens. Both proposals were in the Bute House Agreement.

Misogyny was not included in Humza Yousaf’s controversial Hate Crime Act, with a standalone bill deemed necessary.

However, SNP ministers now claim there is not enough time to draw up a law which reflects the recent Supreme Court judgment on biological sex and the Equality Act, suggesting early drafts of the legislation included trans women.

Instead, the government is going back to amend the existing hate crime legislation to add sex to the list of protected characteristics.

The executive also confirmed it will not be going ahead with a ban on conversion therapy this term as it holds out for a UK-wide solution.

The misogyny bill was promised by Ms Sturgeon after an expert group led by Baroness Kennedy KC backed new legal protections for women with five new offences proposed, including stirring up hatred against females and misogynistic harassment.