A reminder that one of Wes Streeting's junior ministers is talking enthusiastically about 'cashing in' on NHS data (www.ft.com/content/0531...).

Edinburgh is getting a brand new concert hall, the Dunard Centre - for the first time in 100 years, supported by SNP Scottish Government funding. What a delightful rendition of Caledonia by Dougie MacLean with pupils from Broughton Primary to mark the moment we broke ground. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I was diagnosed with #HIV in 1998, when I was 30. Many of my friends had died of AIDS. I did not expect to live to 50. I’m 58 now. HIV treatment works. Treatment also makes it impossible for me to pass HIV on during sex. Ensure HIV treatment for all. End HIV stigma. #WorldAIDSDay

Such desperately sad news, John and his wife Lynn, were an iconic pair that I looked up to when I started my career at GMTV. John was a phenomenal journalist and presenter. Much love to his friends and family. apple.news/AGNTSUCn6T0S...

The grim salivating of our press at the prospect of spreading more hate about trans people. Has there been an uglier moment in Britain's modern history?

I’ve signed this letter calling for full parliamentary scrutiny of the EHRC’s guidance. Trans people deserve clarity, dignity, and safe access to services - not uncertainty and exclusion. Parliament must ensure that any guidance reflects lived experience and protects everyone’s rights.

The draft is cruel; there is no evidence it will better protect women, cis or trans; it breaches Labour's manifesto commitment to trans people; it is unenforceable; encourages vigilanteism; and it is clearly inconsistent with the UK's obligations under the ECHR. We will challenge it in court. 2/2

We are aware of the EHRC's briefing to The Times about its draft statutory guidance. The draft is inconsistent with the Supreme Court's explicit assurance (from para 248) that its "interpretation would not be disadvantageous to or remove protection from trans people with or without a GRC." 1/2

While bills rise and Westminster sits back, I am focusing on your priorities. We ended peak rail fares to make your commute cheaper - putting more money in your pocket. That’s the difference the SNP makes. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

There's a realistic chance we get to a position where Wikipedia is blocked while official government accounts are posting on a site that created MechaHitler AI

My statement on Canada-U.S. trade:

Goodness me this is utterly grim reading. www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politics/...

We now know that, pending any appeal, the EHRC's support for its landlord's application to criminalise protest was not just an act of monumental hypocrisy by Kishwer Falkner - it was also legally flawed. www.crowdjustice.com/case/protect...

We will be at parliament today reporting on the mass lobbying day. And we will try to keep you updated on the events as they unfold.

We served our claim form on the EHRC yesterday and it has just changed its interim statement. Snip one is what its statement was. Snip two is what its statement now is. *They now accept there is no need for employers to provide single sex toilets.*

Short thread on Yvette Cooper's decision to ban Palestine Action. 🧵

In the world Labour is creating you can be as enthusiastic as you like about genocide but it will be a criminal offence to express support for Palestine Action's attempts to stop it.

There's a rare moment - with abortion rights increasingly under attack - to decriminalise abortion. Please use our easy tool to write to your MP asking them to support NC20, Stella Creasy's amendment. Please use and share in your networks. action.goodlawproject.org/decriminalis...

Here is the UK losing on Article 8 in Goodwin (from the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights). I can't show you where the Supreme Court didn't deal with it in For Some Women Scotland because it didn't deal with it. Why did Labour reappoint as Chair someone so woefully equipped?

Wild stuff from Kishwer Falkner: the UK lost on Article 8 in Goodwin and the Supreme Court in For Some Women Scotland did not agree that Article 8 didn't apply - it didn't address Article 8 at all.

In fact, funnily enough, this judgment just issued today "The applicant also complains that he was forced to repeatedly and involuntarily disclose his gender identity every time he had to present his identity documents: Violation of Article 8" (T.H. v Czech Republic, no. 33037/22)

Not clear whether she means: 1. We don’t agree with the large volume of ECtHR case law on this subject or 2. There is no ECtHR case law to this effect Either way, it makes her entirely unfit for her post.

Even their own website says she's lying bsky.app/profile/jake...

For anyone who doesn't know "Article 8" is the European Convention on Human Rights right to a private life This is the head of the EHRC saying that she does not believe that *anyone* has the right to privacy when it comes to being trans or cis Brazenly immoral, legally untrue

The amendments are both legally sound but do different things – (NC1) Tonia’s (which BPAS supports) is narrow and decriminalises only abortions by the woman; (NC20) Stella’s is broader and would also decriminalise abortions by partners and medics. /4

The amendment would be to the Crime and Policing Bill – and there are two amendments currently being tabled. NC1 tabled by Tonia Antoniazzi (snip one) and NC20 tabled by Stella Creasy (snips two and three). /3

This is important because, as @zoesqwilliams.bsky.social has explained, there has been a surge in prosecutions. And we don’t entirely know what’s driving them. www.theguardian.com/society/comm... /2

In a world in which abortion is increasingly imperilled – by Nigel Farage and the US Christian Right – there’s a narrow window of opportunity for good news in the UK. It looks like an amendment to decriminalise it might pass. /1

Kind of appalling - what's been happening behind the scenes in Parliament with rival amendments to decriminalise abortion. 🧵

I see that Kishwer Falkner has attacked Good Law Project in her appearance before the Women and Equalities Select Committee. Here is the evidence that the EHRC backed its landlord's failed attempt to stop protests. (The documents are all here. www.tintagelhouseinjunction.com)

Today, the Women and Equalities Committee is questioning the Chair and Chief Executive of the EHRC. You can watch live here from 2:20pm: www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...

Very much agree, Sarah Owen doing her best but Falkner is an expert at obfuscation and avoidance, sadly.

I think Sarah's doing a very good job of chairing this, she's just essentially told Falkner to shut up with talking about things irrelevant to the questions asked.

Rachel Taylor says many of her constituents are asking about how to set up trans-inclusive women's organisations. She says that EHRC guidance says people can't, but Lord Sumption says they can. Are her constituents allowed?

Rachel Taylor asks if parliament should legislate to bring further clarity on trans people's legal rights. Falkner waffles but says no, that the Supreme Court has brought clarity and the EHRC should be able to provide guidance on it.

Falkner's now talking about the consultation on the EHRC guidance following the supreme court ruling. Says they're having stakeholder meetings with 'the groups most affected by the judgement'. Any trans people been invited?

1) Sitting in the Women & Equalities committee watching as Baroness Falkner can’t answer basic questions on her own rushed out guidelines that followed The Supreme Court Ruling. Total car crash.

This is a really beautifully written piece by Labour MP Euan Stainbank. Getting to the heart of the trauma and indignities trans and non binary people now face following the Supreme Court judgement. Brave and hugely appreciated by many in the community. www.falkirkherald.co.uk/news/opinion...

We won! Am thrilled to say that the High Court has refused EHRC's Landlord's application for an injunction against protestors outside the EHRC's offices. Reasons to follow later.

If a leisure center staff member did this to 'protect women's sex based rights', and was disciplined, would you fund them JK Rowling?

The disgraceful EHRC misconduct is now drawing fire from the United Nations. www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

If your MSPs haven’t signed, and you’d like them to, you could write to them and ask. You’ll find their email addresses here: www.theyworkforyou.com Just remember to include your name and address so they know you are a constituent.

I’m a proud signatory on this letter. The Scottish Parliament has got this one wrong. They need to admit that and work with us to find a solution. Thanks to @hannahbardell.bsky.social and @goodlawproject.org for working on the letters and drumming up support. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Very pleased to say, we've at last managed to get up some practical guidance on what the For (Some) Women Scotland decision means. Tl;dr it's absolutely *not* what the bigots in Government or the bigots leading the misnamed EHRC are telling you. goodlaw.social/1c68df

The (excellent) barristers' Chambers 11KBW is running a webinar on the egal definition of a woman for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. Register here 👇🏻

1)A wee word from me on my intentions for next years Scottish Parliamentary elections. I loved representing my home town of Livingston as their MP but after more than 9 years in frontline politics and a lot of change in my life in the last year, I’ve decided to sit this one out.

So many important conversations coming out of the Bill Committee today. On my mind is that behind this debate are real people, real suffering, and real families devastated by the current system. We owe them a law that prioritises compassion, not cruelty. A 🧵

Fantastic to see coverage like this in the media, big companies have invested in facilities like the Pyramids in West Lothian and the work of Screen Scotland & The Scottish Government has been crucial 👏 🎥 How did Scotland become a Hollywood hotspot? www.bbc.com/news/article...

1) Well 2024 you’ve delivered some brutal lows and some unimaginable highs. Getting married to my beautiful wife Lucie was undoubtedly the highlight, our mums meeting and being surrounded by the love and support of our family & friends was gorgeous 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩.