The UK Government is set to mount an unprecedented legal challenge to block Nicola Sturgeon’s controversial gender reforms. The Sunday Mail has learned that ministers will more likely than not lodge a Section 35 Order in an attempt to veto the legislation within weeks.
The mechanism has never been used but effectively gives the UK Government a right to block laws produced by the Scottish Parliament from gaining royal assent on the grounds they adversely affect UK statutes. The move would almost certainly result in a Supreme Court showdown between First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
A senior UK Government source said: “Ministers across the UK Government have very serious concerns about the SNP’s gender recognition bill. Lawyers and officials are still assessing the potential impact of the bill on the Equalities Act and other UK-wide legislation and considering the implications for prisons and schools.
