Kemi Badenoch, the UK Women and Equalities Minister, has denied claims that the Tory government is rolling back trans rights. Badenoch faced questions on blocking Scotland’s gender recognition reforms, her office’s review of gender recognition certificates, and the delayed conversion therapy ban. Badenoch defended her office’s actions and stressed that they are maintaining the status quo. Scottish parliament passed a Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) bill in December, which was blocked by the UK government weeks later, leading to potential legal action from the Scottish government.
Badenoch appeared before the Women and Equalities Committee to answer questions about the government’s stance on trans rights. During the meeting, she defended her office’s decision to block Scotland’s gender recognition reforms and the delayed conversion therapy ban. Badenoch also spoke about the government’s review of countries that are considered to live up to “UK standards” on gender recognition, stating that the government would strive to get it “absolutely right.”
The Scottish government has threatened legal action against the UK government’s decision to block the GRR bill, leading to potential constitutional crises. Badenoch said that her office had “conversations with Scottish ministers,” but that the “template of interaction when bills are going through is that we in Westminster don’t interfere.” The Scottish government has accused Badenoch of failing to issue a warning about the bill’s potential block.
Badenoch defended her office’s actions, stating that “public opinion is on the side of the UK government, not the Scottish government.” She also refused to give a date for when a draft of the delayed conversion therapy ban would be published.