British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunakvetoed a Scottish law governing gender reassignment surgery in the country this Monday the 16th, in a decision that drew backlash from Scotland for breaking a tradition of noninterference between countries in the US United Kingdom. The Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeoncalled the decision a “frontal attack” against the “democratically elected parliament with its own decisionmaking powers”.
The transgender law, passed on December 22 last year after a series of debates, lowers the minimum age for gender reassignment surgery from 18 to 16 and removes the requirement for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria. According to the UK Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jackthe decision to veto it was “due to concerns that the law would adversely affect equality legislation in the UK”.
:quality(80)/cloudfrontuseast1.images.arcpublishing.com/estadao/ZNBWKALUDZF7FCZYDQZHQGIWRA.jpg "Rishi Sunak vetoes Scotland's gender reassignment law, breaking tradition of noninterference 3")
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon speaks during a news conference on Monday 16th. Sturgeon said the UK veto was a “frontal attack” on the Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Government has said it will appeal the decision to “uphold the Act and the Scottish Parliament”. Before the veto, the Prime Minister had warned against launching a legal battle with London if the law were vetoed. “We will be absolutely, resolutely, rigorously, and with a very, very, very high level of confidence in the legislation,” Sturgeon said.
The ruling makes Rishi Sunak, a Conservative politician, the first UK Prime Minister to use the lockdown mechanism of a regional decision. The fact could increase pressure on Scotland to become an independent country already causing tensions between the two governments. Two months ago, Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party (SNP) attempted to hold a new independence referendum but was stopped by the UK High Court. London is firmly opposed to the idea of independence.
Although Scotland has jurisdiction over the matter, aided by decentralization rules which led to the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, London can veto legislation if the central executive thinks it will have “adverse effects on the functioning of the law”. will. /AFP