Nicola Sturgeon press conference: RECAP as First Minister addresses nation
The First Minister will give updates on a host of matters with questions from the media.
We will bring you live updates throughout the press conference and throughout the day with the briefing set to begin at 11:30
Nicola Sturgeon briefing live updates
While it is unclear exactly what the First Minister will be discussing at the press conference today, we can expect a few topics to be raised.
One of them is the controversial gender reform bill.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, the First Minister said: “I have not heard any argument about the impact on the Equality Act that I find in any way persuasive or compelling, because the Act does not change the legal effect of a gender recognition certificate.”
She defended the Bill lowering the age at which a trans person can obtain a certificate from 18 to 16, saying there would be “greater advice and support available to what would be a tiny number of people of that age group wanting to go through this process”.
She also dismissed the concern of some women’s rights groups who fear the changes could help men gain access to women-only spaces.
Ms Sturgeon said: “You don’t have to show your birth certificate to access women-only spaces. So this Bill does not give a predatory man any more ability to abuse women than that predatory man already has.”
Devolution is being tested like never before – and it’s all thanks to the UK Government’s decision to trigger a section 35 order for the first time and put the reins – at least for now – on the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.