Anas Sarwar: Don't conflate Sandie Peggie 'racist' comments with point of tribunal
The Scottish Labour leader, who has publicly supported Peggie, told the Daily Record on Thursday that the comments were 'horrific'.
Asked by The National if he regretted publicly supporting Peggie now the remarks had come to light, Sarwar insisted that he supported the 'primacy of the Equality Act'.
READ MORE: Revealed: The full text of SNP's independence strategy
Peggie was suspended after she complained about having to share a changing room with transgender medic Dr Beth Upton at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, [[Fife]], on Christmas Eve 2023.
Allegations were made during the tribunal regarding Peggie's comments relating to mosques, as well as "racist" jokes she had shared in a work group chat about flooding that killed thousands in Pakistan.
Peggie denied the remarks in relation to mosques, but said the joke about the floods were sent in 'dark humour' to friends.
Asked if he regretted supporting Peggie (below) following the revelations, Sarwar told The National: 'I think there should not be a conflation on saying that we support the protection of the Equality Act, the primacy of the Equality Act, and the protection of single sex spaces based on biological sex.
(Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire) 'That is our position and remains our position. At the same time, we have to call out racism or any other form of prejudice, and that's exactly what we have done.
'We think the Scottish Government and NHS boards should be complying with the Equality Act. Should be urgently complying with the Equality Act whilst, and this is not inconsistent, whilst also calling out prejudice.'
Pushed on if that meant he didn't regret publicly supporting Peggie, he said: 'I have zero regret in saying that we have to support the Equality Act, the primacy of the Equality Act and protecting single sex spaces based on biological sex.
'And I also continue to call out any form of racism or prejudice, as was demonstrated in those comments that have been attributed.'
READ MORE: 43 SNP branches back challenge to John Swinney's independence strategy
After Dr Upton made an allegation of bullying and harassment, citing concerns about 'patient care', Peggie was placed on special leave.
She then lodged a claim against NHS Fife and Dr Upton, citing the Equality Act 2010, including sexual harassment, harassment related to a protected belief, indirect discrimination, and victimisation.
The tribunal has become a flash point for gender-critical campaigners and anti-trans groups, particularly following the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman earlier this year.
And now, For Women Scotland, which brought the case against the Scottish Government in relation to the definition of the Equality Act to the Supreme Court, has been granted permission to lodge a written intervention.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
'Nicola Sturgeon most feared figure in UK politics'
However, she criticised the former SNP's leader's handling of the party, saying that the structure of the SNP had "never grown or adapted" under Ms Sturgeon's watch. Her comments come as the former SNP MP and ex-Westminster deputy leader for the party, Ms Black, recently revealed to The Herald she had left the SNP because she was unhappy with the direction it had taken. READ MORE: Mhairi Black: 'I thought politics would be about team work' Mhairi Black leaves SNP after disagreeing with party direction Asked by the paper how Ms Sturgeon's legacy would be judged, Ms Black said: 'Undoubtedly no one can take away that she reached levels of influence and popularity and fear that I don't think anyone else has in recent memory … I can't think of anybody who has had that kind of impact, certainly on UK politics.' She recalled the atmosphere in Westminster during Ms Sturgeon's visits: 'They were terrified of her, absolutely terrified. When she was in the building it spread like wildfire. You could see they're actually quite shaken at the very fact that she's here in person.' Ms Black praised Ms Sturgeon as a skilled political operator. She said: 'I've always said I think she is possibly the best politician I can think of UK-wide as to competency and being able to answer a question. I've never seen her shaken. She was always unflappable and I know from experience how difficult that is to do. So, as a politician I thought she was s**t hot.' The former MP, who stood down at the last general election, was more critical of Ms Sturgeon's record as party leader — especially on internal reform. 'As the leader of a political party, I thought she could have done so much better,' Ms Black said. 'The same is true of Alex Salmond when he was in charge and even John Swinney now. "The actual structure of the party has never grown or adapted to that influx of membership, which I think has actually played a role in why a lot of folk have turned away from the party. It's because the structure just wasn't there to give people the kind of membership they were craving.' Last week, Ms Black said there had been "too many times" where she did not agree with decisions and strategies made by her former party, adding: "There are better organisations that I could be giving a membership to than this one." The former MP said her party's "capitulation" on LGBT rights and trans rights in particular was one of the main reasons which motivated her to leave the party. Ms Black was first elected to Westminster in 2015 aged 20, ousting Labour's Douglas Alexander as MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South. She later served as Deputy Leader of the SNP in the House of Commons from 2022 to 2024 and she stood down ahead of the general election last year, citing safety concerns, social media abuse and unsociable hours. Outside of her party, Ms Black criticised UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for 'believing in nothing'. She said: 'The guy believes in nothing. I've no doubt that he goes home and convinces himself that he's a very practical, reasonable set of hands who is guiding us through a very turbulent time. I just think it's rubbish." The former [[SNP]] member described Reform leader Nigel Farage as "poisonous" and the UK's version of Donald Trump. Ms Black said: 'He's the British Trump. Poisonous. I have absolutely nothing nice to say about him. How far have we fallen as a society when all it takes is a millionaire in a cravat holding a pint and suddenly we're like, 'Oh, yes, you must have my interests at heart?'' Read the full interview with Mhairi Black in The Herald Magazine.
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
'New cotton bud'. Plastic hygiene product should be banned
A group of 20 organisations, including campaigns, charities and businesses, has issued the letter urging the Scottish Government to ban them. Flossers join a long list of personal hygiene and other products that have littered Scotland's coastlines, including not only cotton buds, but wipes, plastic cutlery, sanitary towels, pharmaceutical blister packs, Covid masks, interdental brushes and straws. Some, like cotton buds and straws, have been banned. But others continue to make their way into waterways, landfill and sewage systems, contributing to the rising deluge of global plastic pollution that is showing no signs of slowing. The call comes in the run up to the final round of talks for the UN global plastics treaty, which is looking at how to tackle both plastic waste and plastic at source. This new form of waste is just one element in the rising tide of pollution driven by production levels are set to triple by 2060. 'The dental flosser may be a small, innocuous-looking item,' the letter observes, 'but single use dental flossers are being sold in multi-packs by most supermarkets and pharmacies, and they are littering our streets, parks and beaches. We have collated photo evidence of these items across Scotland, from the pristine beach of the island of Colonsay, to the city streets of Edinburgh and Glasgow, to the east coast by St Abbs." A move like this, the authors point out, would align with the [[Scottish Government]]'s forthcoming Circular Economy Strategy, which has targets to reduce plastic production and waste, as well as the New Plastics [[Economy]] Global Commitment, which the [[Scottish Government]] signed in 2018. A dental flosser found on the Isle of Colonsay (Image: Rachael Revesz) Concerned signatories include campaigner and social media influencer Laura Young, also known as 'Less Waste Laura', who led the campaign against disposable electric vapes and Don MacNeish, a founder of the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST), one of the voices in David Attenborough's recent Ocean documentary. Some of the signatories are clean up groups who have noticed the rise in dental flossers in litter picks. Marion Montgomery of Paws on Plastic said: 'They are something that our members find regularly on walks, in parks, on streets. Not only are they an example of unnecessary single use plastic but they also pose a potential risk to animals and an environmental hazard for generations.' Waste from Arrochar litter sink (Image: The GRAB Trust) Beach cleaners from Scottish Coastal Clean Up observed that the flossers tended to be found "wherever we find wipes". The letter points out that while dental flossers, also called, 'dental harps', 'may be more accessible for some people to maintain dental hygiene', there are alternative products. Even so-called 'eco flossers', it notes, are problematic since they are made from 'equally harmful bioplastics'. 'We urge policy makers to turn the tide against our throw-away culture by banning the sale of an item that is barely used for a few seconds before it spends decades, if not centuries, in landfill," the letter said. In recent years Scotland has banned plastic straws, drink stirrers and polystyrene food containers. "We've charged a fee on plastic bags," says the letter, "and we've banned single use vapes. These have been bold moves, and they've had a remarkable impact. READ MORE: Scottish scientists discover new threat to marine life: sunscreen meeting plastic 'The beach crunched': Scotland's extreme beach cleans Less than 10% of plastic produced globally comes from recycled materials – study The problem, Ms Young pointed out, is that the flosser is just one of many single-use items contributing to wider plastic pollution, with ever more new items entering the market. 'Plastic dental flossers are yet another example of unnecessary single-use waste polluting our environment. I've seen them in towns and cities, littering streets and clogging gutters, and on our beaches, alongside other toiletry-related waste like plastic cotton buds, tampon applicators, and wet wipes.' Progress, she noted, has already been made on some items, with bans like plastic cotton buds and straws. 'But the rest? Still polluting our environment and wasting resources.' "It's frustrating that we continue to act only after these plastics become a visible problem. We need upstream solutions, not piecemeal bans. The United Nations Global Plastics Treaty meeting this month is a chance for us collectively to go beyond voluntary pledges and weak commitments. We need binding global action that holds corporations accountable, enforces plastic reduction targets, and redesigns the systems driving overconsumption. "Individuals can choose better, businesses must do better, and governments must act faster and smarter. The planet can't wait." Kat Jones, director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland, said that the ban would be a "start" but that laws are needed "to encourage and incentivise producers make responsible products." "Producers are constantly inventing new types of throw-away item while persuading us that we can't live without them. The one-use flosser is an absolute prime example. "Until producers can turn their skills in innovation and technical knowhow to the service of sustainability, rather than thinking of the next throw-away gimmick, we are always going to be battling waste, litter and the pollution of our seas item by item." Personal hygiene litter collected by beach clean artist Lil Vischer (Image: Vicky Allan) The letter is also not the only one to be issued as the UN Global Plastic Treaty talks begin in Geneva, calling for action and commitment from the Scottish Government. Another open letter to the first minister, from 18 groups including Friends of the Earth Scotland and Stop Climate Chaos Scotland, has outline the damage created by plastic, and called for the Scottish Government to act now to prevent further harm. Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner for Friends of the Earth Scotland said: 'We all want a future free from plastic pollution, but the Scottish Government is failing to take the actions needed to protect people and nature from the growing harms of the plastics crisis. "Promises at an international level will only be meaningful if they are backed up with action at a local level. Industry-backed solutions, such as recycling, do not address the underlying cause of the plastics crisis – that there is too much plastic to begin with and more is being made every day. 'It doesn't have to be this way. The Global Plastics Treaty is an incredible opportunity internationally, and a chance for the Scottish Government to reset the way plastics are used in Scotland too. 'There are practical steps the Scottish Government should be taking today to halt the plastics crisis. These include immediately banning the burning of plastic waste, forcing companies to be responsible for cleaning the products they sell, and investing in reuse services.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Scotland was the first part of the UK to implement a ban on some of the most problematic single-use plastic products and we continue to work with our partners to reduce many sources of plastic pollution as possible and also to support the removal of rubbish from our seas and coastline. 'In addition, the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 increases the powers available to the Government to take action on waste in Scotland, and we are also progressing with international efforts to address major pollution sources such as plastic pellets, as well as supporting the removal of rubbish from our seas and beaches.'
The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Let's hope Nicola's book reminds us of her many achievements
Ruth Marr, Stirling. • Frankly I can see a screenplay of Nicola Sturgeon's Frankly start to write itself before my eyes. "We want the truth! You can't handle the truth! You have the luxury of not knowing what I know!" (A Few Good Men). "Facts may be coloured by the personalities of the people who present them" ("12 Angry Men"). And on the subject of the jury being out, I wonder how many people will be poring over Frankly to analyse if Ms Sturgeon has remembered to forget in the book that same evidence that she forgot to remember on oath. Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. Alasdair Sampson, Stewarton. Heading for Indyref8 Stan Grodynski (Letters, August 1) once again issues the weary demand of the separatists to insist on "Indyref2" due to recent selected polling – and queries the unionists' reluctance to accept this. The SNP consistently fights every election with the break-up of the UK overriding all other manifesto policies, referring to any potential [[SNP]] majority as "de facto referenda" and "mandates for independence". Yet, since 2014, there have been six general and Scottish elections – and what Mr Grodynski appears conveniently to ignore is the fact that not a single one of these has yielded a majority of votes for independence parties. Each and every one, in a "democratic manner" as he requests, confirmed that those who still think that Scotland should remain in the UK do in fact "represent the majority view of the people of Scotland". At the most recent election SNP support stood at 30% – just one year ago – having peaked at 49% in 2021 with the added, albeit minor, inclusion of its Green colleagues. In fact, no election has ever produced a majority of votes for Scottish nationalist parties. Given these election outcomes of 2015-2024, what Mr Grodynski is in fact seeking is not "Indyref2" but "Indyref8". The first seven are evidence enough – there are other, higher priorities on which our politicians should focus. Robin McNaught, Bridge of Weir. • Scottish nationalists continue to agitate, in the press and on social media, for another referendum on Scottish secession. They cannot, however, tell us which European countries have had repeat referendums on the same major constitutional question every few years. The losers in 2014 were indulged quite enough with the Smith Commission and the Scotland Act of 2016, which significantly extended Holyrood's powers – and not for the better. Now they want to impose their wishes in full on the winners. I have a question for them: having lost in 2014, you demand a new referendum. If there was one, and you won for the first time, would you accept the need to put the question again? Would you accept that winning once was not enough, and that a second referendum should be held, as you expect us to do now? I think we know the answer to that question. Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh. Read more letters We want parity with NI Alan Fitzpatrick (Letters, August 1) asks me to give the parameters required for a Scottish referendum, when all I had asked for was constitutional parity with Northern Ireland, where under the Northern Ireland Act 1998 a legal duty is imposed on the Secretary of State to hold a border poll 'if it appears likely that a majority of people... would vote for Irish unification'. Not hard is it? There is also the question of Scotland's status: Scotland was 'extinguished' in 1707 according to the constitutional advisors to the UK Government in 2014. So are we then a colony, in which case a referendum becomes moot, and a majority desire for de-colonising is simply recognised by Westminster? I was on a Royal Navy warship at Mauritius at the time of their independence. They had simply passed an Independence Bill in the Mauritian parliament in 1967 and were independent in 1968. Many others simply morphed into independence. Easy peasy. There is also the question of the media. How can a fair referendum be held in a country with a media which is totally partisan to one side? GR Weir, Ochiltree. Maximising the indy vote At last, at least some in the [[SNP]] realise that we now have a choice of independence-supporting parties to vote for ("[[SNP]] rebels launching challenge to Swinney's strategy on new Indyref", The Herald, August 1), but we do need to keep our options open. The task should be to maximise the votes, both for constituency and list seats, going to pro-independence candidates. This, of course, means that all pro-independence parties must have good policies, not just for the here and now, but for an independent Scotland. If this is done, then once the votes are counted, with MSPs in place, comes the discussion as to whether the people have spoken and independence is ours, or whether we need to attack Westminster's delaying tactics to gain control of Scotland. Patricia Fort, Glasgow. Trump is so unpredictable I find Ian Lakin's logic when arguing against Brexit and independence (Letters, July 30) sadly mistaken. Mind you it is based on Donald Trump's kind of logic (and his mercurial temperament). It is true that we receive (or suffer) smaller tariffs than the EU – and many other countries – so at present we are in a better trading position than them this week, possibly because Mr Trump only speaks an English similar to ours and his mother was Scottish. What will he do next week? It was sad to see Keir Starmer and John Swinney running to beg/negotiate with him last weekend. However the truth is that we are still in a worse trading position than we were before [[Donald Trump]] was reappointed. Last week the bold Donald claimed to have stopped some wars and hoped to settle more. So far he has not stopped any conflicts and has stated his wish to take over Canada and Greenland, not to mention Gaza for leisure development. Perhaps Ian Lakin would be happy to have him take over the UK (or at least Scotland)? The real truth is that we do not know what he will do next and should fear our future. Europe, for all its problems, is still closer and more constant than the USA of today. JB Drummond, Kilmarnock. • Ian Lakin argues that the EU trade deal with the US with its 15% tariffs means that the UK is much better off with its putative 10% deal. He perhaps does not know that the UK doesn't have a trade surplus with the US, according to US figures which exclude money moving through the Isle of Man etc. The US calculates that the EU does. The EU is a much more important market for Scotland and the whole UK than the US. Non-tariff barriers are costing many Scottish businesses. The trade barriers between the UK and Northern Ireland caused by Brexit are also growing higher over time. Jackie Kemp, Edinburgh. A kinder benefits system The findings of a report commissioned by Scottish ministers into the performance of the Adult Disability Payment have been published. They embrace the ethos of Social Security Scotland: "Fairness, Dignity and Respect". The findings say that ADP is "kinder in tone and more dignified in approach" and was "significantly more compassionate" than the DWP system it replaced. Claiming benefits is not a lifestyle choice, it is a necessity for millions and should be made as accessible as possible, as noted in this report. While the Westminster Government is intent on reducing welfare costs which in many cases results in a false economy, with many claimants experiencing a decline in conditions and needing additional healthcare, the Scottish Government has committed to continuing its investment in the people of Scotland and Scotland's social security system. We must always invest in the safety net that defines the kind of society we are. Catriona C Clark, Falkirk. Keep Open away from Turnberry I agree with everything Andy Maciver has written today about junior doctors ("Doctors are wrong to strike but they are right that they deserve better pay", The Herald, August 1), but am astonished that his piece last week about Turnberry and The Open ("Swinney must help bring the Open to Turnberry", The Herald, July 25) attracted no comment. Having watched the BBC interview with Eric Trump, the overwhelming arrogance of this man, which is not surprising given his lineage, is a very good reason why the R&A should continue to give Turnberry a very wide berth. The revamped Ailsa course may well now be the best course in Britain, and many others have said it is, but that is no reason to rush into giving it back the game's premier tournament. Eric Trump did not say 'The Open deserves Turnberry'. He did not say 'Professional golfers deserve the chance to play Turnberry'. He said: 'My father deserves The Open.' The only thing Donald Trump deserves is a prison sentence. He finished with an expletive sentence which simply unlined his unfitness to have anything to do with this tournament. The Open is bigger than Donald Trump and does not need his golf course. John N E Rankin, Bridge of Allan. Donald Trump at his Turnberry golf course (Image: Getty) Glasgow's kindness Myself and five friends were in Glasgow to celebrate our 70th birthday year. We went to the King's to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, then to Sarti's for dinner. One of the 'girls' put '70' table centres on the table. The family at the next table wished us happy birthday. After they left the restaurant the waiter came across with a bottle of Prosecco which they had paid for. As if that kind gesture wasn't enough, the couple sitting behind us chatted and wished us well. As they left the restaurant they turned and put £40 on the table and said to take it off the bill. They disappeared before we could react. We were all shocked with the generosity of complete strangers but it did give us all great faith in Glasgow's kindness. Liz Morley, Strathaven. Comfort zone Brian Watt's story about a Newtongrange social club's bus party to Wembley to support the national team in the 1970s (Letters, July 31) reminded me of the story of the young mine worker from the Lady Victoria Colliery in Newtongrange, Midlothian, who had been admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh with multiple fractures after being caught in a roof fall. On his ward round the next morning the orthopaedic surgeon asked the miner: 'You comfy?' The Newtongrange mine worker replied: 'Nitten'. Stuart Swanston, Edinburgh.
