Humza Yousaf to confirm ‘imminently’ if he will launch gender Bill legal battle

Scotland’s First Minister has said he would “very imminently” confirm if he will launch a legal battle with the UK Government after it blocked a Bill backed by MSPs which would have made it easier to change gender.

Humza Yousaf, who took over as leader of the SNP less than a month ago, said on Tuesday that while he was considering legal advice, he had made it clear in his campaign to become First Minister the block was a “undemocratic veto over legislation that was passed by a majority of the Scottish Parliament”.

The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill sparked controversy when it was passed by the MSPs in December.

The deadline for the First Minister to launch a legal challenge against the decision is approaching and, on Tuesday, when asked if he would confirm he would launch of the appeal, Mr Yousaf said he would “confirm very imminently”.

“I made it clear during the election contest that my first principle was to challenge what I consider to be an undemocratic veto over legislation that was passed by a majority of the Scottish Parliament,” he said.

“So I’ll make that decision known very, very soon.

“I’m considering, as you’d imagine with any court case or any potential court case, the legal advice.

“I can’t go into the detail of that legal advice, as you’d imagine. And as I say, I’ll make a decision on very imminently.”

The deadline for the lodging of a judicial review into the use of Section 35 falls in the middle of April, shortly after the Scottish Parliament returns from its Easter recess.