‘Toxic row’ over Scotland’s gender recognition bill exposes division in Scottish parliament

This landmark ruling that makes it easier for transgender people to change their recorded gender brings years of discussion and deliberations to a crescendo.

The toxic row over reforms has exposed division given its highly controversial nature.

The reforms will remove the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria in order to receive a gender recognition certificate, lower the minimum age for applicants to 16 and reduce the time an applicant must live in their acquired gender from two years to three months for over-18s.

It has been a politically bruising time for Scotland’s first minister. The SNP leader witnessed the party’s biggest rebellion in its 15-year history in power.

One of Nicola Sturgeon’s cabinet ministers resigned in protest – the first time that has happened over a policy matter in her premiership.

The Scottish parliament is far from famous for its political theatre.

Most MSPs tend to tow the party line on the daily grind of policies. This legislation was different.

MSPs from almost all parties broke ranks and defied their leaders in this crunch vote. What would usually be internal wrangling was spilling out for everyone to watch.

It has been a long and drawn-out process. Politicians have spent days pouring over the fine details of this bill.

The house lights inside the chamber even went off automatically at midnight on Wednesday as the heated discussions continued until the small hours. This has never happened before in a parliament that boasts to operate ‘family friendly’ hours.

Critics, who tried and failed to stall this vote taking place before Christmas, fear this policy has been rushed through Holyrood. The reality is that this has been more than half a decade in the making.

And it may not be over quite yet.

There are questions about whether the UK government will recognise certificates issued under this new Scottish system.

One senior Scottish minister told me she had discussions with Number 10 this week to allay concerns. Will that be enough?

This bill could also face a legal challenge. Things are never straight forward.