High security measures to be in place at Joanna Cherry's Fringe show

Bag searches and alcohol ban at MP’s Fringe show

Joanna Cherry MP will be appearing at the Fringe later this week. Image: Russell Cheyne/Getty Images.

There will be high security measures at Joanna Cherry MP’s Fringe show to protect her safety, it has emerged.

Ms Cherry, the MP for Edinburgh South West, is due to speak at a sold-out Fringe show at The Stand on Thursday this week.

However The Stand Comedy Club says after consulting with Police Scotland, there will be bag searches and metal detectors at her show.

There will also be no alcohol sold during the event.

The club says anyone who does not agree to the searches will be barred from going in, and there will be a strict eviction policy for anyone who disrupts the show or incite others to behave badly during her performance.

Those with bigger bags will have to leave them outside and collect them once the event is over.

This comes after her show was initially cancelled over backlash to her gender-critical views. The Show was reinstated after Ms Cherry raised legal action.

Ms Cherry told the Herald on Sunday: “A small but vocal lobby are trying to poison our public discourse and silence legitimate debate on important issues.

“Regrettably they have been given encouragement by some politicians who really ought to know better.

“The Stand have made a rod for their own back by initially capitulating to this lobby.

“However, just as I was pleased when they backtracked on their cancellation of the event and apologised for their unfair and unlawful discrimination against me, after I took legal action, I am happy to have been consulted about the security measures they are taking.

“That said, I think it’s a disgrace that in modern Scotland a politician should face threats to her safety on account of her sexuality and her feminist beliefs.

“The debate on gender self-identification is a very important one which must be allowed to take place, but I am a woman of many parts who was engaged to talk about my political life in general and I am looking forward to what I hope will be a wide-ranging discussion.

“I understand the event is sold out and I am pleased that the profits will be donated to the Edinburgh Food Project.”

Ms Cherry took part in Alex Salmond’s Fringe show ‘The Ayes Have It! The Ayes Have It!’ on Friday without any incident.