Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill: Section 35 Power

Debate between Ian Murray and Kirsten Oswald

Tuesday 17th January 2023 Commons Chamber

[Steven Bonnar (Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill) (SNP)]

There is no Scottish Labour party.

[Kirsten Oswald]

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

[Ian Murray]

I will give way to the hon. Lady while the hon. Member for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill (Steven Bonnar) chunters nonsense in the background.

[Kirsten Oswald]

I am interested in how the hon. Gentleman characterises some of what we have heard today, but if he thinks that the Labour party has no role in this, and if he does not think the Labour party ought to have a view or an opinion, or to take a position, he needs to make that clear, because his colleagues in the Scottish Parliament do have a view. They voted for these provisions, as did SNP, Liberal Democrat and some Scottish Conservative Members. He should stop being disingenuous and be clear. Where does the Labour party stand? Will it defend the right of the Scottish Parliament to act or not?

[Ian Murray]

I will tell the hon. Lady exactly where we stand: we want this legislation to work. At the moment, the legislation is dead because—

[Kirsten Oswald]

Because of them.

[Ian Murray]

The hon. Lady might say that from a sedentary position, but the hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Stephen Flynn) quoted Donald Dewar at great length. Donald Dewar will be turning in his grave at what is happening in relation to devolution and Scottish politics, because he created the section 35 process for the very reasons the hon. Lady just said. Section 35 is a process to enable cross-border problems to be resolved.