Scottish women’s groups warn Anas Sarwar that he “cannot hide any longer” and will be held to account on Gender Recognition Reform Bill
Six grassroots organisations in Scotland have written a powerful plea to Anas Sarwar, the leader of Scottish Labour, on Monday (12 December) urging him follow his conscience ahead of the Scottish parliamentary vote on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill on 21 December.
In a strongly-worded letter, the groups – including Women Speak Scotland, Scottish Feminist Network and Women’s Declaration International Scotland – criticised Sarwar and other senior party figures of “not taking seriously the most significant bill on the safety of women and children in Scotland’s devolved history by delegating the issue to a relatively inexperienced MSP who seems to be struggling with or unwilling to hold the Scottish Government to account.”
The letter conveys the women’s frustration and anger as they describe that many of them “are politically homeless having previously been lifelong Labour supporters”, while “others are reevaluating their previously steadfast pro-Indy stance given the significance of the Equality Act (2010)” to the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.
The women issued a stark warning to the Scottish Labour leader in the event that they continue to avoid the serious concerns surrounding the Bill and hope that the current controversies “will blow over”:
“You cannot hide any longer. We women see you, we are angry, and we won’t wheesht. Women’s hard-won rights are not a political game.
“We will not let voters forget that you personally, as party leader, were knowingly and wilfully complicit in ignoring all the warnings, including from women in the Labour Party. All those who vote in favour of the GRR Bill will be held responsible for all its negative outcomes.”
“If you do not take a principled stance as leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, we will hold you accountable for the suffering of women and children in the years to come.”
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