IT was difficult to see past the horror of the senseless terror attacks in Europe last week. But in the midst of the sadness, two quite different quotes from senior UK politicians on the subject of love caught my eye.
“Love is love ... whoever you are,” declared First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in her speech at Pride in Glasgow last Saturday. As the first serving First Minister in the UK to attend a Pride event, she reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to making Scotland the best country in the world for LGBTI rights and to “keep making progress” in the field of equality. In the 5000-strong crowd, representatives from all Scottish political parties were scattered among the rainbow banners, putting aside bitter political differences for a better cause.
Across the water however, quite a different LGBTI story was unfolding. In Northern Ireland, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, declared that “ours is now the only small corner of these islands where we maintain a hierarchy of love”. His shattering words came as a response to the dismissal of a High Court judgment on marriage equality, with the judge ruling that it was not up to the courts to decide on social policy, that this was a matter for Stormont and Stormont only.
READ MORE: Ruth Davidson under fire for interview no-show after bigot row councillors readmitted
To put this into context, Northern Ireland is the only country in the UK where same-sex marriage is banned. You may be aware of this now partly due to the uproar at the DUP/Conservative deal recently brokered to keep Theresa May in power in Westminster after her disastrous election result. But only as recently as November 2015, after five votes on whether or not to introduce same-sex marriage, the MLAs at Stormont finally voted in favour of legislation with the slimmest of majorities, just 53 to 52 votes. The DUP however, stepped in and, using a government veto known as “a petition of concern”, blocked the motion and thus prevented any change in the law. If you’re LGBTI in Northern Ireland, you can become civil partners but you cannot be married, a discrimination that led to this legal challenge ultimately being dismissed last week.
Now not everyone needs to get married to prove their enduring love for each other, but surely, whatever your sexual orientation, the option should be on the table.
It’s hard to believe that in 2017, a nation so close to us in so many ways can have such opposing legislation on same-sex marriage. And the very fact that many of us are often surprised to learn this, shows just how far we’ve come in changing entrenched attitudes to LGBTI issues in our own country.
I’m proud to be a member of a party so committed to LGBTI rights. Scotland leads the way in Britain with progressive laws and government policies on transgender and intersex equality, hate crime, hate speech and equal marriage. According to the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Europe Index 2016, Scotland is rated the best country in Europe for LGBTI rights (as rated separately from UK as a whole).
Three leaders of political parties in the Scottish Parliament are openly LGB as well as 10 of the 129 MSPs. This compares to 36 out of 650 MPs at Westminster, although there has still never been an openly trans or intersex MP or MSP. The SNP in Westminster has the highest proportion of LGB MPs out of all the parties and both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon have won awards for their support of equality.
The Scottish Government is currently working on significant LGBTI legislation, one of which includes major reforms to gender recognition law, to ensure that all trans and non-binary people are fully able to access their human right to legal gender recognition. SNP MPs are pushing for the UK Government to match this commitment and to take action for LGBTI equality in reserved areas, including securing reforms to the Equality Act 2010 to extend discrimination protections to all trans, non-binary and intersex people.
But the challenge remains to bring these advances to the whole of the UK, a task now seen as far more difficult as the Tories make their bed with the DUP. Perhaps this would be a good time for the Scottish Conservatives to show their mettle. As their openly gay leader, Ruth Davidson, was quick to gain reassurances from the PM that there would be absolutely no rescission of LGBTI rights in this country as a result of their deal with the DUP – but what about solidarity with these communities outwith Scotland, Wales and England? Have we not a responsibility to argue for equal status on marriage across the nations that make up the UK?
Perhaps its time for Ruth Davidson to swing this unique influence in Westminster that we’ve been hearing about but are yet to see; to hold Theresa May’s feet to the fire and persuade the Northern Irish Assembly to stop blocking same-sex marriage.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel