LGBTQ+ groups in Wales have criticised the decision of the UK government to block Scottish parliament's Gender Recognition Reform Bill. Labelling the move as "crass and offensive", the charity Pride Cymru joined other LGBTQ+ groups in Wales to voice concern after the UK government said it would use its power to block the bill from becoming law.
Pride Cymru has criticised the UK government as using trans people as a "pawn" in an "obscure constitutional argument" and described the decision to block the bill as offensive to the thousands of people in Scotland that would benefit from it. The UK Government has confirmed it will use a section 35 order to block this law and claims the bill would have "adverse effects" on the operation of the Equality Act 2010- impacting single-sex clubs, associations and schools and protections such as equal pay.
In a response by Pride Cymru, a spokesperson wrote: "The LGBTQ+ community feels let down and betrayed by this callous decision. So much scrutiny has gone into this Bill, it even clarifies that the 2010 Equality Act is not affected."
