Girls STILL forced to share loos with boys despite schools facing 94 complaints
Scottish state schools were ordered to provide single sex toilets in a landmark ruling handed down by a judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh last month.
Yet The Mail on Sunday has found that many of the 32 local authorities are 'considering' the verdict before making changes.
That is despite data showing there have been 94 queries raised by youngsters and staff about gender neutral or unisex loos since 2021. SNP-run East Dunbartonshire has received the most criticism.
Last night it admitted that 51 'complaints and representations' had been made about their 'inclusive' loo provision.
However, a spokesman claimed only two official complaints were lodged with the council directly.
Scottish Conservative MSP Pam Gosal said: 'Complaints about this issue are rife. It seems some councils are taking these and recording them while others appear to be brushing them under the carpet.
'It's totally unacceptable for any girl in school to have to share facilities such as toilets and changing areas with boys.'
Public bodies across Scotland have had to re-evaluate policies on single sex facilities after last month's UK Supreme Court ruling on gender.
However, schools are under particular pressure after parents won a separate legal fight days later over single sex facilities at the new £16.6 million Earlston Primary School in Berwickshire.
Lawyer Rosie Walker of Gilson Gray, representing the parents, told the Mail that 'gender-neutral toilets' were not permitted under regulations dating back to 1967.
The case, which concerned Scottish Borders Council, has a knock on effect for all local authorities.
Judge Lady Ross, KC, said she would issue a court order to make legal obligations on state schools clear after Sean Stratford and Leigh Hurley brought the judicial review over their concerns about transgender policies at the school, where their son was a pupil.
The Mail on Sunday asked all councils what progress had been made since the Court of Session ruling on April 23.
Of the 19 which responded, only two – Glasgow and East Lothian – had changed signage in some schools.
Six councils said they already had single sex provision and the rest declared they were considering the court verdicts.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'The Education Secretary is engaging with Cosla to carefully consider the implications of the Court of Session ruling.'
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The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Gaza latest: Canada joins UK and France in plan to recognise Palestinian state while starvation deaths rise
Canada has joined the UK and France in their plans to recognise a Palestinian state at the UN, becoming the third G7 nation to ratchet up pressure on Israel as starvation spreads in Gaza. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said Canada condemns the fact that ' Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza' and the planned move was predicated on the Palestinian Authority's commitment to reforms. It comes just days after prime minister Sir Keir Starmer said the UK would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel took steps to end the war in Gaza. Israel and the US, both, have rejected Canada's move, calling it a 'reward for Hamas'. US president Donald Trump 's special envoy Steve Witkoff is set to head to Israel within the coming hours for talks after ceasefire negotiations with Hamas appeared to have stalled last week. Seven more people died from malnutrition in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. A UN-backed global food security agency said there was evidence of 'widespread starvation' in Gaza that has reached 'an alarming and deadly turning point'. Resolutions to block arms sales to Israel blacked in US Senate Two resolutions that would have blocked America's arms sales to Israel in response to civilian casualties in Gaza were blocked in the US Senate on Wednesday, although they garnered more support than similar measures earlier this year. The resolutions would have blocked the sale of $675m in bombs and shipments of 20,000 assault rifles. The two resolutions were introduced by senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent aligned with Democrats. They failed by 73 to 24 and 70 to 27 in the 100-member chamber in voting late on Wednesday night. Similar measures, also introduced by Mr Sanders, failed by 82-15 and 83-15 in April. All of the votes for the resolutions came from Democrats, with all of president Donald Trump's fellow Republicans opposed. Mr Sanders said in a statement he was pleased that a majority of the Democratic caucus had backed the effort. "The tide is turning. The American people do not want to spend billions to starve children in Gaza," Mr Sanders said. "The Democrats are moving forward on this issue, and I look forward to Republican support in the near future." Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was one of the Democrats who opposed the Sanders-backed resolutions in April but voted for them this time. Mr Shaheen said in a statement that Israel has a right to defend its citizens, but added: "It is clear that the Government of Israel has not conducted its military operations in Gaza with the necessary care required by international humanitarian law. It is also clear that the Government of Israel has failed to allow adequate humanitarian assistance into Gaza, resulting in unbelievable suffering." Shweta Sharma31 July 2025 06:03 Israel could warn Hamas of annexing parts of Gaza Israel could threaten to annex parts of Gaza to increase pressure on the militant group Hamas, an Israeli minister said on Wednesday, an idea that would deal a blow to Palestinian hopes of statehood on land Israel now occupies. The comment by security cabinet member Zeev Elkin came a day after Britain said it would recognise a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes steps to relieve suffering in Gaza and agrees to a ceasefire in the war with Hamas. Accusing Hamas of trying to drag out ceasefire talks to gain Israeli concessions, Mr Elkin told public broadcaster Kan that Israel may give the group an ultimatum to reach a deal before further expanding its military actions. "The most painful thing for our enemy is losing lands," he said. "A clarification to Hamas that the moment they play games with us they will lose land that they will never get back would be a significant pressure tool." It comes amid pressure building on Israel over the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, where a global hunger monitor has warned that a worst-case scenario of famine is unfolding. Mediation efforts aimed at reaching a deal that would secure a 60-day ceasefire and the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas ground to a halt last week, with the sides trading blame for the impasse. Shweta Sharma31 July 2025 04:44 Israel says it rejects Canada's position to recognise a Palestinian state Israel has strongly rejected Canada's shift in position to recognise a Palestinian state, saying the decision would be a 'reward for Hamas'. The Israeli foreign ministry said it rejects the statement by the prime minister of Canada. 'The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages,' the foreign ministry said. Canada's announcement came after the UK and France said they would recognise a Palestinian state at September's UN General Assembly meeting if the fighting in Gaza, part of the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel, had not stopped by then. Prime minister Mark Carney told reporters that the reality on the ground, including starvation of people in Gaza, meant "the prospect of a Palestinian state is literally receding before our eyes." "Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza," he said. Shweta Sharma31 July 2025 04:24 Palestinians waiting for food killed in firing At least 48 Palestinians have been killed and several others injured in firing after people desperate to get food at a crossing controlled by Israeli forces gathered, according to hospital staff. The Shifa Hospital in Gaza City said the dead and the wounded were among crowds massed at the Zikim Crossing, the main entry point for humanitarian aid to northern Gaza. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which controls the crossing. Videos showed wounded people being ferried away from the scene of the shooting in wooden carts, as well as crowds of people carrying bags of flour. Al-Saraya Field Hospital, where critical cases are stabilised before transfer to main hospitals, said it received more than 100 dead and wounded. Fares Awad, head of the Gaza Health Ministry's emergency service, said some bodies were taken to other hospitals, indicating the toll could rise. Israeli strikes and gunfire had earlier killed at least 46 Palestinians overnight and into Wednesday, most of them among crowds seeking food, health officials said. Another seven Palestinians, including a child, died of malnutrition-related causes, according to the Gaza health ministry. Shweta Sharma31 July 2025 04:02 Mapped: Israeli settlements in the West Bank Steffie Banatvala31 July 2025 03:00 Explained: Is a two-state solution possible? While Israel withdrew settlers and soldiers from Gaza in 2005, settlements expanded in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, their population rising from 250,000 in 1993 to 700,000 three decades later, according to Israeli organisation Peace Now. Palestinians say this undermines the basis of a viable state. Jewish settlement in the West Bank has accelerated sharply since the start of the Gaza war. During the Second Intifada two decades ago, Israel also constructed a barrier that it said was intended to stop Palestinian suicide bombers from entering its cities. Palestinians call it a land grab. The PA led by President Mahmoud Abbas administers islands of West Bank land enveloped by a zone of Israeli control comprising 60 percent of the territory, including the Jordanian border and the settlements - arrangements set out in the Oslo Accords. Netanyahu's government is the most right-wing in Israeli history and includes religious nationalists who draw support from settlers. The far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has said there is no such thing as a Palestinian people. Netanyahu said on 7 July he wanted peace with the Palestinians but described any future independent state as a potential platform to destroy Israel, saying control of security must remain with Israel. Hamas won elections in 2006 and a year later drove forces loyal to Abbas out of Gaza, fragmenting the territories where the Palestinians hope to establish their state. Hamas and Israel have fought repeated wars since then, culminating in the attacks on communities in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that ignited the current Gaza war. Steffie Banatvala31 July 2025 02:00 Full story: Arab nations tell Hamas to 'disarm' and end rule of Gaza after Starmer ultimatum Our Political Correspondent Millie Cooke reports: Arab nations tell Hamas to 'disarm' and end rule of Gaza after Starmer ultimatum Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Egypt said the terrorist group must play no part in the future of Palestine Steffie Banatvala Explained: The history of the two-state solution Conflict occurred in British-ruled Palestine between Arabs and Jews who had migrated to the area, seeking a national home as they fled antisemitic persecution in Europe and citing biblical ties to the land throughout centuries in exile. In 1947, the United Nations agreed a plan partitioning Palestine into Arab and Jewish states with international rule over Jerusalem. Jewish leaders accepted the plan, which gave them 56 percent of the land. The Arab League rejected it. The state of Israel was declared on 14 May 1948. A day later, five Arab states attacked. The war ended with Israel controlling 77% of the territory. Some 700,000 Palestinians fled or were driven from their homes, ending up in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria as well as in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In a 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, from Jordan and Gaza from Egypt, securing control of all territory from the Mediterranean to the Jordan valley. Although 147 of the 193 UN member states already recognise Palestine as a state, it is not itself a UN member, meaning most Palestinians are not recognised by the world body as citizens of any state. Steffie Banatvala31 July 2025 00:00 What did Mark Carney say during Palestine recognition announcement Here are some of Mark Carney's quotes as he announce that Canada intends to recognise the state of Palestine in September: 'Canada intends to recognise the state of Palestine at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025.' 'Preserving a two-state solution means standing with all people who choose peace over violence or terrorism.' 'The level of human suffering in Gaza is intolerable and it is rapidly deteriorating." 'We are working ourselves with others, to preserve the possibility of a two-state solution, to not allow the facts on the ground, deaths on the ground, the settlements on the ground, the expropriations on the ground, to get to such an extent that this is not possible.' "The prospect of a Palestinian state is being eroded before our eyes.' Alex Croft30 July 2025 23:37 Israel says Canada's recognition of Palestine rewards Hamas Israel has rejected a statement by Canada's prime minister over a planned recognition of a Palestinian state, saying it represented a reward to militant faction Hamas. "The change in the position of the Canadian government at this time is a reward for Hamas and harms the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of the hostages," the Israeli foreign ministry said in a statement early on Thursday. Alex Croft30 July 2025 23:33
BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
Sunderland and Middlesbrough reflect on riots a year on
A year ago, riots - fuelled by misinformation and anti-immigration hate - broke out following the murders of three girls in Southport. One area affected was the north-east of England, where police have since recorded a significant rise in racial and religious hate crimes. With CCTV cameras and heavy-weight steel doors, the Masjid E Anwaar E Madinah mosque in Sunderland has changed a lot in the past 12 months."It should not feel like a prison," says Zaf Iqbal, the treasurer of the mosque, which also has bars across its he knows first hand why the extra security is was one of four men locked inside the building when violent mobs tried to attack last summer."It was traumatic," he says. "You don't expect to be attacked in your home city because of the colour of your skin." The riot erupted in August 2024 after three young girls were murdered at a dance class in was falsely claimed on social media that the killer had arrived in the UK on a dinghy in 2023. Others posted that he was a Muslim, and a fake name also a result, Southport Mosque was attacked in a night of extreme violence, before Islamic communities elsewhere were targeted."Why anybody was rioting in other towns away from Southport, it baffles me," says Mr Iqbal. A year on, "the tension in the community" has left some living in constant fear of a repeat of the disorder, he says."Sunderland's my home city. If I can't feel safe in my home city, where am I meant to feel safe?" he asks, visibly upset, before breaking down in tears."I was born and raised in this city, I work in this city, I work in the community in this city, and yet at times it doesn't feel like home, which is sad."With the political landscape at the minute, I think things are going to get worse."In recent weeks, a series of protests have taken place outside a hotel being used to house asylum seekers in Epping, Essex. It follows a man living there being charged with sexual assault, which he have separately charged 12 people so far in connection with disorder linked to the protests there. Hate crimes rise Freedom of Information data obtained by the BBC showed there were 2,757 race and religious hate crimes recorded by police forces in the North East between 1 August 2024 and 31 January 2025 - the six months following the Southport shows reports in the region rose by 34% compared to the same six-month period the previous year. The national increase between the same two time periods was less than 1%.The region's police forces also recorded 361 racial or religiously aggravated assaults in the six months following the Southport attacks, a 22% increase when comparing the same time period in the previous figures cover some of the region's disorder, which may reflect some of the increase. The recorded rise could be down to an increase in such hate crimes taking place, however a proportion could also be caused by more people reporting events can also "peak reports", according to Peter Hopkins, a professor in social geography at Newcastle University, who researches Islamophobia."We see whenever there is a terrorist incident or a major political event there is often a rise," he said, adding: "If there's any TV coverage of a terrorist, it doesn't matter what their religion is, we will see a reported rise in crimes against Muslims."Government data had previously showed the conflict between Israel and Gaza had also contributed to a rise in religious hate crimes. 'We live in a cycle of fear' Violence also broke out in Hartlepool, Darlington and Middlesbrough over several days, with an estimated 1,000 people taking part in an anti-immigration protest in Middlesbrough shared on social media showed some of the crowd smashing windows of homes and cars being set alight.A man was also seen on mobile phone footage blocking traffic and asking drivers "Are you white? Are you English?". He was jailed in November."Over the last five to 10 years racism has palpably grown" in Middlesbrough and the surrounding area, according to Amjid Khazir, the founder of anti-hate organisation Media Cultured."I have personally been racially abused," he Police, which covers Middlesbrough, saw the biggest increase of recorded race hate crimes in England and Wales in the six months following the Southport killings, with 918 incidents. That was up from 545 compared to the same period the previous year - a jump of 68%.Supt Emily Harrison, the force's lead on hate crime, said there had been "a clear spike" at the time of the disorder but the number of reports had then returned to levels consistent with the months said there was "no real trend towards an increase in racially motivated offences and crimes since last summer's events".The higher number of reports received compared to other local forces could be attributed to factors including effective community engagement and the "diverse" routes available for reporting hate crimes, she added. 'Be careful where you go' When a car drove into fans at a football parade celebrating Liverpool's Premier League title win in May, people were quick to speculate about the incident on social happened after the Southport attack, false rumours which started on social media claimed the man allegedly responsible was a left Middlesbrough's Islamic community "fearing" a backlash, Mr Khazir says. "Something happens hundreds of miles away and you're fearing for your family here in Middlesbrough," Mr Khazir says."You are on the phone to your family saying, 'Have you seen the news? Be careful where you go'."You're reiterating to them that this might be a time to stay at home."In an unprecedented move on the evening of the parade incident, Merseyside Police confirmed the person arrested was a white, British year, the force had been criticised for not releasing details earlier about Axel Rudakubana, the man later convicted of the three murders in Southport, when posts on social media were falsely suggesting he was an asylum seeker and potentially an Islamist extremist. The clarification this time about the man detained in Liverpool was welcomed by the Islamic community, who were anxious of "reprisals."Following last summer's disorder, Mr Khazir warns racism is "a trend that's not abating". "The riots brought to bear the challenges we face about social cohesion."He also blames certain politicians and figures for sharing "rage-bait" on social media."People are fearful to walk in certain parts of their own towns," he says."People are scared to go out when they see a news report about a potential extremist incident on the TV."You're in this cycle of constant fear." Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
Cornwall Council cabinet backs six new priorities to shape future
Healthy rivers, reliable transport and affordable homes are some of the new priorities formally endorsed by Cornwall Council's cabinet. Council leader Leigh Frost said the priorities were about "building a better Cornwall", and not just managing "decline or patching holes".The council said the six priorities included a resilient economy, a caring place for families where children could thrive, as well as healthy, active people supported to live well at all stages of said also urged residents and visitors to respect the county's fragile landscape, adding: "Cornwall is beautiful, but vulnerable". 'Tackle challenges' The council said the priorities, shaped by residents, were designed to "tackle the Duchy's biggest challenges".Frost said: "These priorities reflect our belief in Cornwall's potential, and our determination to realise it."They are rooted in the values that guide us - fairness, ambition, inclusion and respect - and in a deep sense of place and purpose."The priorities also included a strong environmental message, the council said. "Please take your litter home, leave no trace, and follow safety advice - especially on our beaches. Let's all do our bit to protect the place we love," Frost added. The cabinet's endorsement comes a week after Cornwall Council announced its intention to push for formal recognition as the UK's fifth has written to the prime minister and deputy prime minister outlining the case for greater funding, representation, and decision-making powers for said: "This isn't about independence. "It's about taking control of our own destiny and ensuring decisions about Cornwall are made here in Cornwall - not hundreds of miles away in Westminster." The priorities Strong, safe, vibrant communities, with more decent and affordable homesA clean, green Cornwall, with healthy rivers and seasA resilient economy creating good jobs and fair opportunitiesA caring place for families, where every child can thriveHealthy and active people supported to live well at every stage of lifeConnected, reliable, safe transport that works for the people of Cornwall
